Museveni in France to push for more trade, investments

Paris. President Museveni has asked ambassadors, in France, to market Africa to Europe. “Africa’s purchasing power is now at $8 trillion with a population of 1.2 billion.

Remind Europeans that Africa is a growing market and they should, therefore, take interest in it,” Mr Museveni said.

The president made these remarks at the start of a two-day visit to France, on which he has been accompanied by Education minister, Janet Museveni, also his wife.

The two were received by French ambassador to Uganda, Ms Sophie Makame, Uganda’s Minister of State for International Affairs, Mr Okello Oryem and Uganda’s Ambassador to France, Ms. Nimisha Madhvani. A host of other African ambassadors accredited to France representing Kenya, Ghana, Sudan, Ivory Coast, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Algeria, the Central African Republic, Gambia, Tanzania, Niger and Togo, among others were present when Mr Museveni touched down at Le Bourget Airport.

Museveni also told the ambassadors that East Africa is discussing a policy “where investors would only sell their products if they are manufacturing in the region’’.

“If you don’t manufacture here, then you don’t sell here. Ethiopia is already doing it,” the statement quotes Mr Museveni as saying.

The president is in France for a two-day working visit meant to foster trade and investments between the two countries.

Later today, President Museveni is expected to address the Movement of the Enterprises of France (MEDEF), the largest employer federation in France with a membership of over 880,000 firms.

He will later hold bilateral talks with the French President Francois Hollande at his official residence, the Elysee Palace.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Education and Sports, Janet Museveni, will meet officials of Campus France, the public agency overseen by the French Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Higher Education, responsible for coordinating services for international students in France.(NMG)