On 25 November 2019, Ethiopian Ambassador to Uganda Alemtsehay Meseret briefed the media about the Ethiopian Public Diplomacy team that arrived Kampala for official visit. The 50-member public diplomacy team incorporated members of the Ethiopian parliament, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, religious institutions, university staff, artists and media. The information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated the diplomatic delegation had met and discussed with various bodies including the president, Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mekerere University, and Ugandan parliament.
The delegation team leader House of People’s Representatives Speaker Tagesse Chafo and his Ugandan counterpart Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga discussed on ways of improving relations between the two countries. Tagesse said that such visits by public diplomacy teams strengthen relations between the nations. He appreciated Uganda for ratifying the Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA), which ensures the upstream countries benefit from the Nile River. As to him, the CFA will help to promote equitable utilization of the waters of the Nile. The Ethiopian public diplomacy team has been playing a key role to enhance the people-to-people ties between the two countries, he said, further requesting Uganda to send its public diplomacy to Ethiopia cement the relations.
Accepting the invitation extended to her by Tagesse to visit Ethiopia, Kadaga emphasized the need for strengthening bilateral relations, particularly in trade, industry and agricultural sectors. She underscored the need to strengthen economic ties to maximize mutual benefit to the people of the two countries. As to her, Ethiopia and Uganda have age-long and historical relations. She also called on the two countries to effectively implement previously signed bilateral agreements.
Tagesse also raised the CFA issue when he and his delegation met President Museveni. He said that forming alliances based on fairness, in addition to building infrastructures would enable Africans exploit their untapped resources. He also appreciated Uganda’s commitment to strengthen its relations with Ethiopia.
President Museveni for his part underlined the need to integrate African countries with strong economic ties. Building infrastructures that can connect countries in Africa will provide people with access to markets and production sites, he said. The president called for measures that further boost people-to-people relations between Uganda and Ethiopia.
Tagesse and his delegation held talks with Ugandan Energy and Mineral Development Minister, Engineer Irene Nafuna Muloni on strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries. Tagesse highlighted Ethiopia’s effort in implementing various energy options to address the shortage of energy and underscored that there are many opportunities for the two countries to cooperate in the sector.
He noted that the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is underway for a meaningful impact on Ethiopia’s energy needs. Noting the recent Ugandan team visiting Ethiopia to share experience on biofuel technology, Eng. Irene Nafuna Muloni stressed that Uganda and Ethiopia should strive more to achieve better results in relations that matter on the Energy and mining sectors.
On the occasion, Ambassador Woinshet Tadese, Permanent Secretary for Africa and the Middle East, explained the trilateral technical dialogue that Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt are undertaking on the filling and operation of GERD. Expressing her satisfaction over the explanations on issues related to the GERD, Engineer Irene Mullon emphasized that the trilateral technical dialogue was beneficial in addressing the needs of the three countries. The protection of the Nile Basin is crucial to the sustainable use of the river and Uganda is working to meet its expectations, she added.
Ethiopian Embassy in Uganda in collaboration with the Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry has conducted a business forum in Kampala. President of the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations Eng. Melaku Ezezew and President of the Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry Olive Z. Kigongo gave presentations on trade and investment opportunities their countries can offer. The two sides exchanged views on the problems both countries are facing for being landlocked and the possible ways to tackle the challenges.
Over 100 business people have participated in the forum. On the occasion, participants from both sides agreed for close cooperation to solve common problems for the two countries such as poor infrastructure, bureaucratic bottlenecks and limited access to foreign direct investment.
It was indicated that strong people-to-people relations can be translated to strong market ties in the future. The countries ought to solve these problems while they are conducting activities to improve bilateral economic, political and social ties. Therefore, cultivating such public diplomacy engagements is crucial to foster Ethiopia and Uganda relations.
The Ethiopian Herald December3, 2019
BY YOHANES JEMANEH
