The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, has requested a visiting delegation of Chinese language legislators to make use of their affect to advertise Uganda as one of many tourism locations for his or her citizenry.
“We hope your go to will assist increase the profile of Uganda in China as a vacation spot for Chinese language vacationers, we enchantment to you to make use of your workplace to encourage Chinese language vacationers to go to Uganda, the Pearl of Africa,” Tayebwa instructed the delegation from the Nationwide Individuals’s Congress (NPC) of China, led by H.E. Zhong Shan on Monday, 23 September 2024 at Parliament Home.
Zhong Shan is a member of the Standing Committee of the NPC which is China’s highest organ of state energy and its nationwide legislature. He’s additionally the Chairman of the Monetary and Financial Committee of the NPC.
Tayebwa counseled Uganda’s friendship with China highlighting key milestones within the bodily infrastructure that has been constructed and expanded with monetary help from the Authorities of China.
“A few of the main initiatives that benefited from the loans from China embody: Kampala-Entebbe Expressway, 183MW Isimba Hydro Energy Plant and the Karuma Hydro Energy Plant, enlargement of the Entebbe Worldwide Airport and participation within the Nationwide ICT spine undertaking. For these and lots of extra, we’re grateful and hope to proceed partaking,” mentioned Tayebwa.
Tayebwa was equally grateful to China for the beneficial commerce relations, applauding China for together with Uganda among the many nations benefiting from the 98 % tax waiver on China’s imports.
He famous that Uganda has submitted an inventory of merchandise to learn from the tax waiver however remains to be grappling with assembly the required requirements. The merchandise embody beef, pepper and aquatic merchandise (fish and fish merchandise).
“Complete earnings from Uganda’s exports to China is at US$94.93 million in comparison with US$1.817 billion imports from China [Bank of Uganda, 2023]. We have to enhance our exports to china,” Tayebwa mentioned in regard to the steadiness of commerce between the 2 nations.
He appreciated China’s dedication of US$51 billion pledge in direction of programmes in Africa for the subsequent three years, which the Chinese language President, Xi Jinping introduced on the simply concluded summit on Discussion board on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing.
Zhong on his half mentioned China is able to ‘stroll shoulder to shoulder’ with Uganda amongst different African International locations to implement the outcomes of the discussion board.
“China-Africa relations have been deepened, and as H.E. Xi Jinping introduced on the opening ceremony of the summit that China will be a part of Africa to implement the ten partnership actions by means of its nationwide organisations,” mentioned Zhong.
Because the chairman of the Monetary and Financial Committee, Zhong pledged to desk Tayebwa’s proposals and considerations earlier than the committee upon his return to China.
The Minister of State for Finance, Planning and Financial Growth (Common Duties), Hon. Henry Musasizi, applauded the Chinese language authorities for his or her exceptional contribution to Uganda’s financial system which he mentioned has been steadily rising with a mean six % GDP progress price.
Musasizi talked about an formidable technique by the Ugandan authorities to spice up its GDP price from US$55 billion to US$500 billion by 2039.
The assembly held within the Parliament Convention Corridor was additionally attended by MPs Moses Aleper; Mwine Mpaka; Robert Migadde; Dicksons Kateshumbwa; Sylvia Nayebale; and Amos Kankunda.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.