- Uganda warns European countries against external meddling in African Affairs.
- European countries urged to join hands in vaccine development.
Uganda has asked European countries to join hands in collaborative support for vaccine develpment.this was announced by Foregn affairs minister Gen Odong jeje Abubakar at the European Union and African union summit in Brussels.
The Summit was held with the objective of building a new partnership between Africa and Europe taking into account global challenges such as peace and security, climate change and the current health crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hon. Gen. Odongo Jeje Abubakhar, was accompanied to the Summit by H.E Rebecca Amuge Otengo, Ambassador of the Republic of Uganda and Permanent Representative to the African Union, H.E Mirjam Blaak, Ambassador of the Republic of Uganda to Belgium; Amb. Arthur Kafeero, Ag. Director Regional and International Political Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and other Senior Officials.
Gen. Odongo represented H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda, at the Summit.
He attended two round table thematic discussions, where he briefed the Summit on Uganda’s stabilization role in the region, and shared experiences in contributing to peace and security in Africa, including the ongoing joint efforts with the Democratic Republic of Congo to neutralize the ADF terrorist group.
He condemned the resurgence of coup d’états in Africa and observed that coups are a thing of the past. He cautioned against external meddling in African affairs by arrogant actors who do not listen to the African Union. He warned that the exclusion of certain actors in the national political processes in some countries was a mistake that ought to be avoided.
He also stressed that Africa has the capacity to solve the problems the continent currently faces, including defeating terrorism, through sharing of ideas and cooperation among the African States.Regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, Gen. Odongo informed the Summit of the improved situation in Uganda and thanked the EU and other international partners that have provided support to African countries in responding to the pandemic.
He further informed that Uganda was developing its own vaccines, and welcomes collaboration with other countries.
“The lack of equal access to the COVID-19 vaccines was a good lesson for Africa, which has now realized the need to build local capacity to develop and manufacture vaccines including fast tracking research and development of therapeutics and diagnostics”, he emphasized. During the thematic session on Agriculture, Gen. Odongo, called for investment in agriculture and agro processing noting that agriculture contributes 17% to Africa’s GDP and employs 60% of the population. 65% of all the uncultivated arable land left in the world lies in Africa.