Government ready to dialogue with donors - Mbabazi
Posted Thursday, May 29 2014 at 14:17
Mbabazi said the great strides taken by the Nordic Countries to integrate their people, serves as a template of success which the East African Community should emulate as it unites its people both economically and politically
Premier Amama Mbabazi has expressed Government’s commitment to resolve any bad blood broiling between government with donors through dialogue to enhance the mutually beneficial and cordial relations that exists between Uganda and its partner countries.
According to a statement issued today from the prime minister’s office, Mbabazi said Uganda will continue to uphold the human rights and freedoms as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, adding that the country remains cognizant of the fact that enjoyment of one’s freedoms should not be at the expense and detriment of others.
The Premier made the remarks on Wednesday while representing Government at the joint celebrations to mark the National days of Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Iceland at the Lawns in Kololo.
“Nordic countries are my second home and I consider myself Swedish because they hosted me for a long time,” Mr Mbabazi remarked.
The premier’s remarks come in the wake of vast criticisms of the Museveni government from the donor world for enacting laws that allegedly violate the fundamental human rights like the Anti-homosexuality Act 2014.
The families of President Museveni and Mr Mbabazi lived in Sweden during the liberation struggle that brought the NRM Government to power in 1986.
“Choosing to jointly celebrate your National Days at one occasion is a realization of your common identity as Nordic people and exemplifies the practical implementation of the notion of Unity in diversity where differences are put aside and only common universal values are cherished,” Mr Mbabazi added.
He said the great strides taken by the Nordic Countries to integrate their people, serves as a template of success which the East African Community should emulate as it unites its people both economically and politically.
Mr. Mbabazi also hailed the Nordic countries for their continued support especially the Democratic Governance Facility (DGF) which assists review of legislation in the Legal, Regulatory and Institutional Framework of Uganda’s Oil Sector.
Nordic countries also support the education and research, health especially HIV/AIDS, water and sanitation, poverty alleviation, women empowerment, peace and security, Justice Law and Order Sector, the Parliamentary Accounts Committee, the Directorate of Public Prosecutions and the Office of the Auditor General among others.
According to Mr Mbabazi such support will help contribute to the building of a corruption free Uganda with strong democratic structures and systems in line with Vision 2040.
The Ambassadors, Thorbjørn Gaustadsaether of Norway, Anders Urban Anderson of Sweden, Dan E. Frederiksen of Denmark and Gisli Palsson, the Chargé d’affaires of Iceland in their remarks hailed Nordic’s two century history which has been characterized by peaceful conflict resolution, economic transformation and democratization worth emulating.
They urged the East African Community in its integration process to embrace core values of equal rights without discrimination based on sex, color, religion or gender, a corruption free society willing to pay taxes for better services, democracy, good governance and rule of law for socio-economic transformation.