KAMPALA - Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has met with the Tanzanian Vice President, Samia Hassan Suluhu about the progress of oil drilling in the country.
In their discussions on Wednesday, Museveni updated the Tanzanian delegation on the progress so far made in the exploration and drilling of petroleum in the Albertine region in Western Uganda.
A State House Statement says Museveni and his Tanzanian counterparts held the meeting on the side lines of the two day Africa Now Summit at Speke Resort Munyonyo.
Mr Museveni also briefed his visitors who included the Tanzanian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Damas Ndumbaro that under the National Resistance Movement government, Uganda has recorded an increase in industries to the current 4,000 that subscribe to the Uganda Manufacturers’ Association up from 80 in 1986 when they took over power.
“Many African countries have experienced economic growth through the years. In Uganda, we have had more growth mainly through the construction of buildings, roads and the transport sector when we did not have enough electricity. Now that we have got electricity, we expect more growth,” he said.
Tanzanian Vice President, Suluhu commended President Museveni for the role he has played in transforming Kampala Capital City in particular and Uganda at large.
She revealed that the government of Tanzania has registered big economic strides and is now in the midst of building a hydroelectric power dam.
Suluhu said that her government has added seven new aircrafts to the national carrier, is fighting corruption and reducing bureaucracy in doing business, among other undertakings.
The 2019 AFRICA NOW Summit is the first of its kind on the continent organised by the Africa Strategic Leadership Centre under the theme ‘Towards a Secure, Integrated and Growing Africa.’
The Summit seeks generate research, dialogue and policy formulation on what should be done by the African continent, especially the leaders, to cause the desired continental transformation.
Earlier on, President Museveni said that for the African continent to achieve and realise the much desired transformation agenda, the continent must focus on qualitative transformation of her population and production means as opposed to quantitative transformation.
In the keynote address, Museveni observed that failure to focus on quality as opposed to quantity will make Africa’s efforts at transformation, go in vain.
The conference that has attracted several leaders from Africa including Somali President, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, Tanzania’s Vice-President, Suhulu, Kenya’s Deputy President, Samuel William Ruto, foreign investors, Chief Executive Officers of multinational companies and youth leaders, also aims at harnessing the energy of the African youth to secure an integrated and growing Africa.
About the Leadership Needed to Catalyse African Transformation, Museveni said that leadership that can transform Africa is that which can understand the ever-changing transformation agents that have seen other societies transform when the African continent has either stagnated or even, in some cases, digressed in the last 600 years.
By David Sseguya
