President Yoweri Museveni has held discussions with a visiting 3-member delegation of the Japanese House of Councillors.
The delegation led by Mr. Takashi Uto is in Uganda to assess the progress and impact of the Japanese funded development projects in the country. The Japanese funded projects in Uganda, include among others; the Queen’s Way Sub-Station in Kampala, Jinja Highway Bridge and various agricultural undertakings.
During the meeting that took place at State House Entebbe on Tuesday evening, President Museveni warmly welcomed the delegation to Uganda and expressed gratitude to the Government of Japan for the support and cooperation with Uganda in a diversity of development areas.
The President meanwhile used the occasion to re-emphasize the need for better trade opportunities, such as market access, investment and tourism as opposed to Aid, if Africa is to benefit from the cooperation. “Aid is good but it is better with trade access,” he observed.
Museveni extended invitation to more Japanese companies, especially those with technological base as well as capital, to invest not only in Uganda but in other African countries. He argued that with the growing population on the continent, those companies will have ready markets for their products.
While hailing other countries, such as the United States of America and China, among others, for doing business with Africa, the President told the Japanese delegation that by investing in Uganda and Africa in general, the Japanese entrepreneurs will not only be empowering the economies and causing development on the African continent, but Japanese products will also have unfettered access to markets on the continent.
Mr. Takashi Uto, leader of the delegation, thanked President Museveni for his time and expressed happiness with the progress of the Japanese supported projects in Uganda that they have so far visited. He said that Japan is looking forward to continued cooperation and working with Uganda in a number of areas of interest.
The Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Vincent Sempijja and that of Works and Transport, Gen Katumba Wamala, among other government officials, attended the meeting.
