Zadock Amanyisa | Tayari News
The Deputy Speaker of Uganda’s Parliament, Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa has made efforts to win over the leaders and people of Antigua and Barbuda to collaborate with Uganda in development.
Rt. Hon. Tayebwa on Tuesday, 17th February, on the sidelines of the ongoing EU-Caribbean Parliamentary Assembly, paid a courtesy visit to the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, H.E Gaston Browne and the two leaders engaged in a conversation aimed at deepening ties between their nations.
Tayebwa is the President of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) 79 Member Country Parliamentary Assembly, and Co-President of EU-OACPS Joint Parliamentary Assembly.
“Our discussions focused on strengthening bilateral relations and enhancing cooperation in international forums such as the United Nations. In light of Antigua and Barbuda’s strong and well-developed tourism industry, I proposed collaboration to support Uganda’s tourism sector through capacity building and training to enhance service delivery. He warmly welcomed the idea.” Said Tayebwa
Tayebwa also used the opportunity to invite his friend to visit the Pearl of Africa to experience breathtaking landscapes and unique wildlife, including mountain gorillas.
“I am looking forward to your visiting Uganda so that you can see the mountain gorillas. For example, 60% of them are in Uganda. You people take coffee here; we would want you to have Ugandan Coffee.”
Tayebwa, who is also the Ruhinda North County representative in Parliament, during the discussion, encouraged greater interest in Uganda’s premium coffee exports, which the Antigua and Barbuda Premier received positively. He presented a pack of Uganda’s finest coffee to Gaston Browne.
The Antigua and Barbuda leader proposed the establishment of education exchange programmes to deepen people-to-people cooperation, as well as easing the movement of diplomats and business leaders between our countries.
Gaston extended his congratulations to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on his re-election and expressed appreciation to the people of Uganda for their continued confidence in his leadership.
The Deputy Speaker expressed gratitude for the progress so far made with the implementation of the Samoa Agreement, adding that he aims to ensure they open up more trade opportunities between the European Union and the ACP, enhance resilience to climate impacts through adaptation, especially to the Caribbean, Pacific and parts of Southern Africa where hurricanes and torrential rains have had devastating effects among others.
“I hope the Heads of States Summit scheduled for next month in Equatorial Guinea will go a long way in speeding up the implementation process of this critical agreement,” he noted