Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni met with São Tomé and Principe’s President, Carlos Manuel Vila Nova, to discuss bilateral relations, with a specific emphasis on economic cooperation. The meeting took place at State House Entebbe, where both leaders exchanged views on potential collaborative efforts.
President Museveni expressed Uganda’s willingness to cooperate with São Tomé and Principe across various sectors of the economy. He highlighted the opportunity for collaboration in fish processing and stated that discussions with Ugandan fish processors would be initiated to explore cooperation.
President Museveni informed his counterpart about Uganda’s existing 22 fish processing factories, specializing in freshwater fish like Nile perch and Tilapia, situated along the shores of Lake Victoria. He proposed utilizing São Tomé and Principe’s abundant ocean resources to establish a productive partnership.
President Museveni also shared insights into Uganda’s progress since the 1980s, attributing the country’s development to the National Resistance Movement (NRM) ideology. He encouraged President Manuel to consider implementing a similar ideology for prosperity.
To achieve prosperity, President Museveni emphasized the importance of producing goods or services and having access to markets. He used the analogy of Uganda’s agricultural products and their limited market within the region, illustrating the need for diverse markets to ensure economic growth.
Furthermore, President Museveni outlined key elements for a prosperous nation, including Patriotism, Pan-Africanism, socio-economic transformation, and Democracy, which he deemed crucial for promoting economic well-being.
In response, President Manuel expressed his country’s honor in partnering with Uganda to enhance the economies of both nations. He pledged support for the collaboration, demonstrating his commitment to exploring opportunities in the discussed sectors.
President Manuel extended his gratitude to President Museveni for his efforts in promoting economic development and regional peace. He emphasized the value of learning from leaders like President Museveni to further advance São Tomé and Principe’s development.
President Carlos Manuel Vila Nova is on a two-day working visit to Uganda and is scheduled to visit the Kiira Motors Corporation in Jinja.
The meeting was attended by Uganda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gen. Jeje Odongo, and the Director General of External Security Organization (ESO), Ambassador Joseph Ocwet.
