High Commissioners and Consul Generals to Uganda have been assured of Uganda’s readiness to host the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) taking place from 22nd to 29th September 2019.
The assurance was given by the Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, at a breakfast meeting on Thursday, 6 June 2019 in the Parliament conference hall to appraise the top diplomats on the plans in place to host the conference at Speak Resort Munyonyo.
“The Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference provides a great opportunity for our Parliaments to engage, deliberate and network on parliamentary best practices, governance and democratic values and socio-economic aspirations of the commonwealth fraternity,” Kadaga said.
The Speaker added that said outside the conference routine, delegates will have the opportunity to tour various tourist attractions across the country.
Arrangements have been made to encourage delegates travel with their spouses, children and other accompanying persons.
She added that countries that do not enjoy reciprocal visa arrangements with Uganda are advised to apply for visas online which will be endorsed in their passports at the point of entry into Uganda.
The Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Uganda and also Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Uganda, H.E. Frank Mugambage, in his remarks, applauded the Parliament of Uganda leadership on the state of preparedness to host the conference and revealed that Rwanda is slated to host the conference in 2020 and would learn from Uganda’s success story.
The Consular General of Seychelles to Uganda, H.E. Elly Karuhanga requested that private sector stakeholders such as Uganda Manufacturers Association, Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Private Sector Foundation Uganda be given a platform to make presentations at the conference.
“I would like them to be given space to market Uganda at the conference, because delegates will be ambassadors of Uganda abroad,” Karuhanga said.
In response, Kadaga said the private sector players owned the hotels in which the delegates were going to reside and therefore, are in business.
She added that the public will also be invited to exhibit their products at the conference and during tours.
Uganda is hosting the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference for the second time since the 1967.
This year’s conference is expected to attract about 1,000 participants from the 54 commonwealth countries.
Participants will include Members of Parliament, Clerks of Parliament, Staff of Parliament, Speakers of Parliament and accompanying persons.
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