Museveni applauds trade relation with Algeria
CAPTION: Algeria Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Ahmed Attaf, left, hands President Yoweri Museveni, centre, accompanied by Uganda Foriegn Affairs Minister Gen. J. J Odong, righet at State House Nakasero Friday December 13th, 2024. (PPU Photo).
Museveni heads to Bugisu on PDM assessment, Kadodi dance banned on main roads
By Stephen Wandera Ouma
KAMPALA – President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has expressed gratitude to his Algerian counterpart, H.E Abdelmadjid Tebboune for making good progress on the action points and the cooperation agreements signed between the two countries.
President Museveni on Friday, 13th December, 2024 received and held talks with Mr. Ahmed Attaf, the Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, as part of his official visit in his capacity as a special envoy of President Tebboune and their discussion provided an opportunity to review the positive outcomes achieved in implementing the decisions made by both leaders President Tebboune and President Museveni during the latter’s state visit to Algeria in March 2023.
The agreements and MoUs were in the fields of energy, tourism, agriculture, animal health, education, and scientific research, and according to Minister Attaf, the Algerian President is personally following up on the implementation of all the decisions made.
He informed President Museveni that trade between the two countries has gone up and the coffee imports from Uganda have risen from 13 million dollars to 16 million dollars. He said milk imports have also risen from $800 million to $1 billion, and more Ugandan companies have been shortlisted to start exporting to Algeria.
Regarding education, President Museveni was happy to learn that the number of scholarships offered by Algeria to Ugandan students in science-based courses has increased from 100 to 217 and is fully absorbed.
“I’m very happy with the message and I thank H.E. President Abdelmadjid Tebboune,” H.E Museveni said.
The second part of the message was to ask President Museveni to support Algeria in their bid to take the Vice Chairperson slot of the African Union Commission where Algeria’s Ambassador Selma Malika Haddadi is in the race with the Moroccan candidate Latifa Akharbach.
President Museveni informed his guest that for the chairmanship position, Uganda is supporting Kenya’s Raila Odinga not only in solidarity with East Africa but also because of the Pan-Africanist
Odinga.
During this meeting, Minister Attaf delivered a written message from President Tebboune to President Museveni and conveyed fraternal greetings, expressing a desire to further strengthen Algerian-Ugandan relations and expand their collaborative efforts.
President Museveni and his guest also discussed issues on the African Union agenda, along with current continental and international matters, including developments in the occupied Palestinian territories and the broader Middle East region, as well as the decolonization process in Western Sahara.
Meanwhile the Presidential Press Unit (PPU) informs the General Public that the President of the Republic of Uganda, H.E Gen. (Rtd) Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, will be in Bugisu sub-region from Tuesday December 17th to
Friday December 20th 2024, in continuation of his Parish Development
Model (PDM) performance assessment tour.
During the tour, H.E the President will visit some beneficiaries, meet
stakeholders including various categories of leaders and technical staff,
and address a public rally.
The President’s visit is as scheduled below:
December 17, 2024 – visit farmers in Bududa, Manafa and Sironko
Districts.
December 18, 2024 – visit Bugisu Industrial Hub and have a Leader’s
meeting in Bulambuli
December 19, 2024 – interact with media houses from Bugisu region
and hold a public rally at Mbale Senior Secondary School.
December 20, 2024 – commission USMID-funded roads in Mbale City
and preside over as Chief Guest at the Mbale Youths Symposium.
In a related development, Inzu Yamasaba cultural institution has announced a ban on traditional Kadodi processions along major routes in Mbale, Bududa, and Manafwa districts ahead of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s visit to the Bugisu region today.
The president is scheduled to visit Bududa to engage with stakeholders and promote the wealth creation program, before heading to Mbale to officially launch the Lukhonge Presidential Hub.
Speaking to the media on Monday at the Inzu Yamasaba headquarters in Malukhu, Mbale City, Wilson Watila, the chairperson of the Imbalu Committee, stated that they have decided to stop Kadodi processions along the Mbale-Tororo highway and the Mbale-Bubulo-Bududa road.
He explained that the decision was made in coordination with the police to ensure safety, warning that anyone found dancing Kadodi on these roads tomorrow will be arrested.
She urged the public to comply with the order, suggesting that they can still celebrate by dancing Kadodi on alternative routes to ensure their safety.
