The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, has asked a visiting delegation of Chinese legislators to use their influence to promote Uganda as one of the tourism destinations for their citizenry.
“We hope your visit will help raise the profile of Uganda in China as a destination for Chinese tourists, we appeal to you to use your office to encourage Chinese tourists to visit Uganda, the Pearl of Africa,” Tayebwa told the delegation from the National People’s Congress (NPC) of China, led by H.E. Zhong Shan on Monday, 23 September 2024 at Parliament House.
Zhong Shan is a member of the Standing Committee of the NPC which is China’s highest organ of state power and its national legislature. He is also the Chairman of the Financial and Economic Committee of the NPC.
Tayebwa commended Uganda’s friendship with China highlighting key milestones in the physical infrastructure that has been constructed and expanded with financial assistance from the Government of China.
“Some of the major projects that benefited from the loans from China include: Kampala-Entebbe Expressway, 183MW Isimba Hydro Power Plant and the Karuma Hydro Power Plant, expansion of the Entebbe International Airport and participation in the National ICT backbone project. For these and many more, we are grateful and hope to continue engaging,” said Tayebwa.
Tayebwa was equally grateful to China for the favourable trade relations, applauding China for including Uganda among the countries benefiting from the 98 percent tax waiver on China’s imports.
He noted that Uganda has submitted a list of products to benefit from the tax waiver but is still grappling with meeting the required standards. The products include beef, pepper and aquatic products (fish and fish products).
“Total earnings from Uganda’s exports to China is at US$94.93 million compared to US$1.817 billion imports from China [Bank of Uganda, 2023]. We need to increase our exports to china,” Tayebwa said in regard to the balance of trade between the two countries.
He appreciated China’s commitment of US$51 billion pledge towards programmes in Africa for the next three years, which the Chinese President, Xi Jinping announced at the just concluded summit on Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing.
Zhong on his part said China is ready to ‘walk shoulder to shoulder’ with Uganda among other African Countries to implement the outcomes of the forum.
The Chinese and Ugandan parties settling down for the talks
“China-Africa relations have been deepened, and as H.E. Xi Jinping announced at the opening ceremony of the summit that China will join Africa to implement the 10 partnership actions through its national organisations,” said Zhong.
As the chairman of the Financial and Economic Committee, Zhong pledged to table Tayebwa’s proposals and concerns before the committee upon his return to China.
The Minister of State for Finance, Planning and Economic Development (General Duties), Hon. Henry Musasizi, applauded the Chinese government for their remarkable contribution to Uganda’s economy which he said has been steadily growing with an average six percent GDP growth rate.
Musasizi mentioned an ambitious strategy by the Ugandan government to boost its GDP rate from US$55 billion to US$500 billion by 2039.
The meeting held in the Parliament Conference Hall was also attended by MPs Moses Aleper; Mwine Mpaka; Robert Migadde; Dicksons Kateshumbwa; Sylvia Nayebale; and Amos Kankunda.
