Nabbanja & Equatorial Guinea President discuss bilateral relations between the two sister countries

By: Ismael Kasooha

DUBAI

The Prime Minister of Uganda Rt. Hon. Nabbanja Robinah has held bilateral talks with the President of Equatorial Guinea, H.E Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo and discussed matters of mutual benefit of the two sister countries.

The meeting was held at Madinat Jumeirah Hotel in Dubai on the sidelines of the ongoing World Governments Summit in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja meeting the President of Equatorial Guinea in Dubai

During the closed door meeting the Prime Minister briefed the President that his counterpart, President Yoweri Museveni, had sent warm greetings to him and was ready to continue cooperating with Equatorial Guinea for the good of the people in the two countries.

“I bring you warm greetings from his excellency Gen. Yoweri Museveni and he wishes you and the people Equatorial Guinea well,” said Nabbanja.

However, details of the discussion were not released to the media but hinged on further strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries for mutual benefit.

President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo lauded President Museveni for his Pan African spirit and ensuring peace and stability prevails in the great lakes region and African in general.

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Henry Okello Oryem also attended the meeting.

In a related development, the Prime Minister held talks different investors and development partners at her Hotel and discussed how Uganda could benefit from the summit.

Nabbanja met Rafael Lopez SanJurjo, the Chief Executive Officer Tandeef, working with BEEAHGROOUP.COM and discussed how this company would manage waste (garbage) in Kampala City and other cities across the country.

“We are eagerly waiting to receive you in Kampala so that we can find ways of managing our waste which is majorly organic. This will further cement our relations and foster business between the two countries,” said Nabbanja.

She asked the investors to find means of incorporating the small companies that have been collecting garbage in Kampala so that they don’t run out of business.

Nabbanja assured the company that Uganda was in the process of formulating a policy on sorting waste so that its management is convenient.

“We want all people to start sorting their waste right from household level so that it is easier to manage our garbage,” she said.

Investors from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) promised to partner with the Government of Uganda to process garbage into valuable products like clean energy, fertilizers and fuel.

The promise was made when the Prime Minister of Uganda, Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja, had visited the garbage processing plant at Sharjah Emirates in the United Arab Emirates late last year.

During her guided tour of the project, the Prime Minister was informed that the plant treats about 1000 tonnes of garbage daily which translates into 30 megawatts of clean energy, enough to power 28,000 households.

“The garbage we have here helps us in generating power and also produces other valuable items. Garbage should not be seen as a burden but rather a resource,” said Rafael Lopez.

Rafael Lopez assured the Prime Minister that they would send a technical team to Uganda the next week to assess and make recommendations immediately.

“We are determined to ensure that this collaboration starts as soon as possible. Our technical team will be coming to Uganda to make assessment so that we can come up with the final position,” said Lopez.

The Premier also met the President of Crypto.com, Eric Anziani, who is also the Chief Operations Officer of the company.

Nabbanja was flanked by the Minister for Public Service, Muruli Mukasa, Beatrice Anwyar Minister of State for Environment and the Permanent Secretary Ministry of ICT & NG and Uganda’s Ambassador to UAE, Kibedi Zaake.

The Premier said that Uganda has to adapt to modern ways of financial systems but guard against fleecing unsuspecting Ugandans.

Moses Kaggwa, Director/Economic Affairs – Chair Sustainable Resource Mobilization Cluster at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development said that the country was in the process of formulating regulations to manage such financial services.

Meanwhile the Minister of State for Environment, Hon. Beatrice Anywar said that Uganda would greatly benefit from the World Governments summit as a developing country.

Anywar said that Uganda, as a developing country will benefit a lot from a Summit that discusses possible solutions to the prevailing challenges in society.

The Prime minister would deliver President Yoweri Museveni’s message to world leaders on environment and health during the Summit running under the theme “Shaping Future governments”.

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