The State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Henry Okello Oryem, has commended the growing cordial ties between the governments of Uganda and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
He made the remarks during a special interfaith Iftar hosted by UAE Ambassador to Uganda, Abdalla Hassan AlShamsi, on Monday, in celebration of the holy month of Ramadan.
The Iftar, held at the ambassador's residence in Kololo, brought together various religious leaders, government officials, and other dignitaries to foster unity, tolerance, and brotherhood.
In his address, Oryem expressed his satisfaction with the bilateral relations between the two countries, stating, "We are totally satisfied, very happy with this relationship, and the relationship is going stronger.
We are grateful to the UAE ambassador to have invited us this evening to break the bread with them on this special Islamic period of Ramadan and what they call Iftar."
He emphasised that both governments are collaborating on significant future projects, including the construction of a nuclear power plant in Hoima to enhance Uganda's energy access.
"They have big projects that they have planned for Uganda. And the biggest projects they are now planning to do, which we invest in Uganda as of today, it will be the energy nuclear plant that they intend to build in Uganda to, which will enable Uganda to have enough power and cheap energy, electricity, which will then will stop things like load shedding, lack of power in some factories and will help us in our extension of electricity to the rural areas," Oryem explained.
He also mentioned that the UAE's plans to build an international airport in Kidepo, Northern Uganda, are progressing well, noting that once completed, this airport is expected to boost tourism and benefit surrounding areas.
"They are building a huge international airport in Kidepo. They're building a brand new airport in Kidepo, which will be able to land a 777, aircraft. The normal kind of plane that lands at Entebbe airport. That will increase the number of tourists that come to Uganda, in particular in the Kidepo. They're building it for the reason that tourists fly direct from Dubai straight to Kidepo. They don't have to come to Kampala and get into vehicles to drive to Kidepo." Oryem added.
Bishop Jackson Matovu, the 2nd Bishop of Central Buganda, who represented the bishop of Mukono, expressed gratitude to the ambassador for inviting guests from various faiths, highlighting this as a gesture of unity and togetherness.
"We want to thank God who has united us and, and use the ambassador to invite us to be together this evening to share the meal together as God's people," Matovu said.
He added, "So we want to thank the ambassador for uniting us. And I really enjoyed when we were here. There was not there wasn't anything saying that, why are you not a a Muslim? Or me saying, why are you not a Christian? We we all share as God's people. And I want to wish our brothers, the Muslim, good and also wishing all the Christians, a good Easter when time comes. We want to thank you very much."
Diana Mutasingwa, the Minister of State in the Office of the Vice President of Uganda, expressed that her attendance at the Iftar represented the Muslim community especially those from her district Buikwe, and praised the ambassador for promoting unity and togetherness.
"I've been to different embassies for different dinners and all these, different functions, but it's it's, it's it was it looked very different here to find that bishop also was here. So, I want to thank the The UAE for sharing together showing us that the all religions matter and can come together and share a meal," Mutasingwa remarked.
The Woman MP for Buikwe District also lauded the UAE government for its charitable contributions in Uganda, particularly in the education sector.
"I also want to thank the UAE because they have been doing a lot of charitable work out here, going, building schools, whether Christian schools or Muslim schools. So they don't care if you're a Muslim or not, but they do the charitable work. So I want to thank them so much, and I'm also pleased to be here today."
Speaking to journalists, Dr. Rashid Yahya Ssemuddu, the Special Envoy to the State of Qatar, expressed his appreciation to the ambassador for the initiative, which he noted fosters unity among followers of different religions in Uganda.
"No wonder that is what we always enjoy as Ugandans where we always live together regardless of our religious backgrounds. So when, his Ambassador AlShamsi comes up with the, such an initiative, it brings us back as Ugandans to know what we have always been practicing," Ssemuddu remarked.
Ambassador Ssemuddu expressed his gratitude to the government of the United Arab Emirates for its ongoing generosity towards the people of Uganda, particularly those in need across different regions of the country.
He also encouraged Ugandans to emulate the UAE's ambassador and participate in efforts to help others especially those in need.
"There are so many Ugandans who are capable, of giving out. But, when we see, such initiatives from his excellence ambassador and his government, we urge our people also to join this cause. Last year, I witnessed the generosity, where his excellency and the government of the United Arab Emirates gave out, packages to the needy people in thousands and thousands, more than, 10,000 packages, of which some packages were distributed to the refugees, from, Sudan, in in, various camps all over the country, and some packages we we are given out to Needy people." Ssemuddu said.