The Consul General of Uganda to Dubai, His Excellency Henry Mayega, has said that Uganda has made significant and tremendous strides in terms of diplomacy, urging that, before 1986, holding consecutive summits was challenging, but this has been made possible through President Yoweri K. Museveni and his administration, which has reinstated Uganda in the international sphere.
H.E. Mayega made these remarks while being hosted on a morning talk show on the country’s national broadcaster on Tuesday, January 16, 2024, where he discussed United Arab Emirates-Uganda relations and how beneficial the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit is to Uganda.
“President Museveni’s three consecutive visits to the UAE have proven advantageous for the country in fostering increased trade, strengthening political collaboration between the two nations, and overall boosting the volume of trade,” Mayega said.
Mayega noted that hosting NAM is crucial for promoting political stability locally, regionally, and internationally, as it provides opportunities to discuss global stability in a volatile world.
“Our commitment to neutrality, demonstrated during the Russia-Ukraine conflict at the UN, is believed to be one of the strong factors behind Uganda being chosen as the host of the 19th edition of NAM,” Mayega added.
He added that, as observed from yesterday’s significant turnout, it symbolises an endorsement from both the international and local communities, stating that the visitors have not only accepted to come but have also been warmly received in the country.
“I am pleased that Ugandans have warmly welcomed the delegates, evident in the absence of any unrest on the streets, which serves as another approval from our own people,” he stated.
The membership criteria of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries require that countries should have adopted an independent policy based on the coexistence of states with different political and social systems and on non-alignment, or they should have shown a tendency to favour such a policy, among others.
