KAMPALA – NRM Secretary General Rt. Hon. Justine Kasule Lumumba on Monday, April 1 hailed the People’s Republic of China and their ruling CPC Party for the establishment of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), saying it’s a strategic framework through which both parties are widely set to benefit.
Addressing the CPC delegation Monday afternoon led by Jilin CPC Provincial General Secretary Hon. Buyin Chaolu at Serena Hotel, Ms. Lumumba revealed that for purposes of FOCAC co-ordination in Uganda, Cabinet had at its sitting in October 2018 approved a proposal to establish a central steering committee to ensure that the country benefits from the arrangement effectively. The delegation comprised six gentlemen and two ladies.
Ms. Lumumba further stated that as part of the great importance the NRM Govt attaches to this initiative, the NRM National Chairman and Head of State H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in September last year attended the 3rd Summit of FOCAC in Beijing City and held talks with H.E Xi Jinping on a wide range of bilateral and global issues.
She said Uganda is set to tap into all possible opportunities coming along with the FOCAC initiative in areas of industrial development, infrastructure Connectivity, Health care, Capacity building, trade facilitation and people to people exchange among others.
“I undertake to whip the Govt team into producing results so that Uganda benefits from President Xi Jinping’s vision of a better world with a shared future”, the SG assured the visiting CPC delegation.
She also added that it was in her interest that this visit to Uganda strengthens and consolidates the existing bilateral relationship between NRM and CPC.
Identified special areas of concern
SG Lumumba presented to her guests several areas of possible cooperation the NRM Party considers as its priorities. These included;
- Capacity building for party cadres; tailor-made to develop skills in poverty eradication.
- Establishment of Party schools and the development of relevant course content.
- Establishment of additional industrial parks especially in Eastern & Northern Regions of Uganda.
- Setting up cottage industries for value addition & support chain link to the developing industry.
- Venturing into the under-developed tourism & hospitality industry to take advantage of Uganda’s Wildlife.
- Investing in the potential fishing industry generally & particularly in aquaculture.
In his response, the Chinese Leader of Delegation Hon. Buyin Chaolu commended Uganda for the warm reception accorded to China and pledged to further protect the existing relationship between the two parties.
The meeting was also attended by the NRM Party Treasurer Hon Rose Namayanja, Deputy SG Hon. Richard Todwong, Deputy Treasurer Dr. Kenneth Omona and the Director Legal Affairs, Senior Counsel Oscar Kihika among others.
