President Yoweri Museveni has on Sunday morning left for the United States of America (USA) to attend the US-Africa Leaders’ Summit slated to open on Tuesday the 13th December 2022 in Washington DC at the invitation of President Joe Biden.
The President was seen off at Entebbe International Airport by the Vice President H.E Jessica Alupo, the Minister for Presidency, Hon. Babirye Milly Babalanda, the Head of Public Service, Ms. Lucy Nakyobe, the Commander Air Force, Lt. Gen. Charles Okid for CDF, the Director Crime Intelligence Uganda Police Force Brg. Gen. Christopher Damulira, and Deputy Commissioner General of Prisons Samuel Akena.
On his way, the President will make a stopover in the UK where he will have some engagements.
The High Level Meeting is at the instance of the United States President, Joe Biden, who looks forward to working with African governments, civil society, diaspora communities across the United States, and the private sector to continue strengthening our shared vision for the future of US-Africa relations.
It also seeks more pragmatic ways to foster new economic engagement, advance peace, security and good governance, reinforce commitment to democracy, human rights, and civil society, work collaboratively to strengthen regional and global health security, promote food security, respond to the climate crisis, amplify diaspora ties and promote education and youth leadership.
President Museveni recently pointed out that he is attending the
summit with the aim of getting partners to cooperate with in the
process of accelerating the ongoing value addition of products and also expanding and diversifying the economy citing the new industry of designing and manufacturing of electric vehicles like
buses and cars.
He added that with also the railway once refurbished will lower
transport costs an incentive to the business fraternity.
Analysis
The Summit is a follow up of the 2014 Summit by the Obama administration to which the current President, Joe Biden was the Deputy. Officially, this Summit is intended to foster new and probably more robust private sector engagement with Africa.
It should also be noted that Africa provides the more viable alternative Gas supply to the US and Europe in the event of an all out trade embargoes with Russia. The Summit is intended to provide an appropriate trade infrastructure to enhance the same
Just like New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), the requirement for democratisation in Africa accompanies any such relations and African countries are expected to benefit from such undertakings as their leaders will make.
This Summit however comes at a time when the Russia-China block also focuses on Africa for alliances and is therefore more competitive than that of 2014.