Uganda has reaffirmed its commitment to economic transformation through infrastructure and industrial development, as Foreign Affairs Minister Abubakhar Gen. Odongo Jeje highlighted the country’s development gains and future priorities at the ongoing Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) ministerial meeting in Changsha, China.
Speaking at the Ministerial Meeting of Coordinators on the Implementation of Follow-Up Actions from the FOCAC Beijing Summit, Odongo emphasized Uganda’s reliance on China-supported infrastructure projects such as the Kampala-Entebbe Expressway and the Karuma and Isimba Hydropower Plants as evidence of the partnership’s tangible impact.
He credited Chinese grants and concessional loans for supporting Uganda’s agricultural and social sectors, which he described as “crucial to our agro-industrialization and inclusive growth agenda.”
The Minister also presented Uganda’s 10-fold growth strategy, a national plan aimed at driving transformation across agro-industry, tourism, mineral development, oil and gas, and the knowledge economy.
He outlined key enablers including digital infrastructure, road development, irrigation, and human capital investment as priorities for future cooperation.
The Changsha meeting, attended by African foreign ministers and hosted by China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, focused on strengthening South-South cooperation and reinforcing China-Africa development partnerships.
Wang proposed five principles to guide future collaboration, including support for global justice, trade liberalization, and cultural exchange. He also conveyed President Xi Jinping’s commitment to granting zero-tariff access to exports from 53 African countries and expanding China’s development cooperation with the continent.
On the sidelines, Hon. Odongo held bilateral talks with Chen Xiaodong, Chair of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), to discuss progress on existing FOCAC projects in Uganda and identify new funding opportunities aligned with Uganda’s fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV).
The meeting concluded with the China-Africa Changsha Declaration, which reaffirmed mutual support among Global South nations and outlined upcoming initiatives including the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges.
The summit underscored the strategic depth of the China-Africa partnership and reaffirmed Uganda’s focus on leveraging Chinese cooperation to achieve long-term national development goals.
