Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration, and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty, met on Friday with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni in Entebbe.
The minister handedMuseveni a message from President Abdel Fattah ElSisi stressing the importance of improving the strong ties between the two countries in all fields.
During the meeting, the minister highlighted Egypt’s interest in strengthening ties in the economic and development spheres, especially since there is a broad framework of existing cooperation between the two countries, which is reflected in the opening of a number of joint projects during the last two years, including the AFRI Egypt Medical Center for Health Care in Jinja, the solar energy station in Busia District in the Eastern Region as well as the establishment of a number of rainwater harvesting tanks and other projects, in addition to the presence of about 25 Egyptian companies operating in the Ugandan market with total investments amounting to $100 million.
The top diplomat also referred to the new investment mechanism for projects in sisterly Nile Basin countries that Egypt has recently announced and which aims to finance infrastructure projects, including water projects in the southern Nile Basin countries, noting Egypt’s keenness to consult with the Ugandan side regarding a list of Ugandan projects that need to be mulled to seek ways to provide financing for their implementation, in addition to exploring opportunities for tripartite cooperation which brings in other development agencies and partners.
The meeting also tackled joint cooperation programs in numerous fields, especially the programs and projects supervised by the Egyptian Agency for Partnership for Development, an affiliate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates, in the capacity building and training of Ugandan cadres.
The meeting took up several regional and international issues of mutual concern, as the two sides touched on recent developments in the Middle East and the Horn of Africa regions, especially the situation in Sudan and Somalia, where the minister stressed Egypt’s desire to enhance regional integration and cooperation among the Nile Basin countries, in a way that strengthens their fraternal bonds, supports development across Africa and avoids unilateral measures that violate the rules of international law.
For his part, the Ugandan president expressed his great appreciation for Egypt and its leadership, and requested to have his greetings conveyed to President Sisi, confirming that his country attaches great importance to fostering its relations with Egypt and is keen to continue coordination and consultation between the two sides on all issues of mutual interest.
FM meets his Ugandan counterpart
Abdelattyemphasized to Ugandan Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Henry Okello Oryem the need to enhance bilateral cooperation, especially in the economic and trade fields and in joint projects, expressing Egypt’s support for the development process in Uganda and interest in increasing investments and Egyptian companies operating in the Ugandan market.
Talks between both ministers took up a number of issues of mutual interest and promising areas of cooperation between the two countries, including agriculture and modern irrigation methods, the manufacture of medical supplies and medicines, construction and development, food industries, new and renewable energy, the transfer of Egyptian expertise in the electricity sector, combating harmful weeds in Lake Victoria and the Ugandan lakes, the manufacture of human and animal vaccines and various industrial domains.
The two sides agreed to hold joint political consultations at the level of foreign ministers as soon as possible to address priority issues at the bilateral and regional levels, with the participation of the Ugandan ministers of water, environment and trade.
Discussions also dwelt on water security and cooperation with regard to the management and development of water resources, as well as the necessity of studying joint projects that benefit all the countries of the Southern Nile Basin, with Abdelatty stressing that the issue of water security is an existential issue for Egypt and that cooperation on this file must be based on international law, especially the principles of consensus, non-harm and prior notification.
The two top diplomats discussed in detail a number of regional issues and the role of the two sisterly countries in reaching peaceful solutions to existing disputes, especially in Sudan, Somalia and the Horn of Africa region, with Abdeatty affirming the importance of providing full support to the Somali state and its national institutions and preserving Somalia’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.
