President Yoweri Museveni has today held a joint meeting with the NORDIC countries’ Ambassadors in Uganda – Sweden, Iceland, Denmark and Norway – at State House Entebbe.
State Ministers for International Affairs, Henry Okello Oryem, State for Relief and Disaster Preparedness, Musa Ecweru along with Uganda’s Ambassador to the NORDIC Countries, Nimisha Jayant Madhvani, attended the meeting.
The envoys included Per Lindgarde of Sweden, Unnur Orradottir Ramette from Iceland, Majbrit Holm Jakobsen of Denmark and Zenia Chrysostomidis of Norway.
President Museveni and his guests discussed various business opportunities that the NORDIC countries could take advantage of and invest in Uganda to strengthen further the relationship between them and Uganda.
“Uganda is a young population full of entrepreneurs and are very resourceful. It is important to create sustainable jobs and a conducive business environment. We believe that with this, Uganda can reach its common goals,” observed Swedish envoy, Per Lindgarde.
President Museveni asked the envoys to consider encouraging entrepreneurs from their countries to invest in Uganda’s public transport sector adding that if bus carriers would be assembled to transport people at an affordable rate, it would go along way in helping to rationalize the transport system.
“We can work with you on transport. It will stop traffic jam on the road. I will inquire with the Ministry of Transport to identify the gaps in the transport sector and will help you know how we can work together,” the President said.
Regarding the energy, Swedish and Norwegian envoys expressed interest in having entrepreneurs working on transmission lines.
The envoys also assured the President that their countries were ready to offer expertise in the oil and gas sector.
On agriculture, President Museveni advised the envoys that Uganda wants investments in value addition of its products.
He also encouraged them over participation in the building of a few high quality education institutions like universities and technical schools in Uganda in order to help the country contribute and further consolidate the quality of knowledge.
The President commended the NORDIC countries for changing from simply giving aid to countries like Uganda to doing business with them which, he observed, is a more beneficial arrangement for all.
The envoys commended President Museveni for setting up an Anti-Corruption Unit in State House noting that it is an important effort to fight corruption in Uganda.
