By Andrew Irumba
President Yoweri Museveni on Saturday November 9, 2019 officially opened the Uganda-Democratic Republic of Congo business Forum at Speke Resort Munyonyo, during which he called upon African leaders to stop enriching foreigners while their countries wallow in poverty.
The forum, which is running under the theme “Promoting Bilateral Trade, Investment and Connectivity for Mutual Peace and Prosperity,’ is to be attended by businessmen and women not only from DR Congo and Uganda but also other East African countries.
Shortly after opening the Forum, Museveni wrote thus on social media; “Earlier today, I opened the Uganda-Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) joint business forum at Speke Resort, Munyonyo, under the theme, Promoting Bilateral Trade, Investment and Connectivity for Mutual Peace and Prosperity”.
He added that; “We need the market of the whole of Africa and avoid taxes at our borders. What we should concentrate on is the quality of goods and services. Internal markets alone are not sufficient to guarantee prosperity. #UGDRCBizForum“
State Minister for investment Evelyn Anite while speaking at the launch of the business Forum on Friday, said that “Uganda and DRC have been business partners for a long time and the meeting would go a long way to strengthen the long-standing brotherly and sisterly relations between the two neighbours.”
At the invitation of President Yoweri Museveni, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo Felix Tshisekedi , who will also be part of the Forum, is already in Uganda on a three-day State Visit which started Friday 8 and continues to 10 November 2019.
Jules Kalala Ngalu, charge d’affaires at the Embassy of the Democratic Republic of Congo in Uganda said the forum was a long-awaited hope between people of the two countries that with help boost investment on both sides.
President Museveni’s full statement about the Forum;
“Earlier today, I opened the Uganda-Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) joint business forum at Speke Resort, Munyonyo, under the theme, “Promoting Bilateral Trade, Investment and Connectivity for Mutual Peace and Prosperity
It is important for nations to facilitate trade among themselves because it creates opportunities for citizens in terms of jobs, income and wealth.
Africa’s trade figures show that we are importing a lot from China, India, Japan and other places. This means we are supporting the prosperity of these countries and jobs for their children yet ours remain unemployed.
We need the market of the whole of Africa and avoid taxes at our borders. What we should concentrate on is the quality of goods and services. Internal markets alone are not sufficient to guarantee prosperity.
Uganda and DRC can for instance have a comparative advantage. If something is done better in Congo, we do it there and Uganda buys it, and vice versa. Then we get low-cost but high quality products.
I thank our friends from Congo for honouring our invitation. You are welcome to Uganda. Africans are one people.
