President Yoweri Museveni and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have agreed to push for United Nations Security Council reforms saying the issue is critical for transparency.
“The fact that we were able to agree on cooperation with regard to issues in the international arena in particular achieving UN Security Council reform is extremely critical for Japan which is seeking UN Security Council reform,” Prime Minister Abe said during a jointly held press conference.
President Museveni agreed, emphasizing that the present refugee and migrant crisis from Africa and Middle East to Europe is partly caused by a few people monopolizing decision making for the whole world.
“We totally agree with Japan that it’s not in order to have a small group of countries monopolizing decision making for the whole world. The present chaos in the world is partly caused by that mistake. If you see the Middle Eastern people and Africans invading Europe as refugees….these are products of mistakes made by some actors who are responsible for these mistakes. That huge human suffering….these mistakes must be stopped by collective wisdom,” he said.
President Museveni said Africa is insisting on reform of the United Nations Security Council and also having equal rights. “Japan with the other members of the Group of four have slightly different position when it comes ‘not on whether but on how’. Therefore I benefit a lot when I come here and discuss with the prime minister to get the logic of the G4. We shall continue to exchange views on thes processes,” he said.
The President, who is on a four day official visit to Japan and is accompanied by the First Lady Janet Museveni, thanked the Prime Minister for the invitation and sympathized with the people of Japan over the floods that hit their country.
“I thank you for inviting me and my delegation to Japan. I am very sorry about floods that have hit your country and extend our sympathies to the people of Japan,” he said.
Museveni hailed the government of Japan for the support to Uganda over the years since 1966 especially in the area of infrastructure development.
He said Japan has done good work in Uganda in the field of electricity, the new bridge across the River Nile, rehabilitation of some hospitals, infrastructure of roads in Kampala and also rehabilitation of northern Uganda after the insurgency.
He commended them to supporting rice projects through developing new variety of rice.
“We are grateful to these contributions. I would like to encourage Japanese companies to come and invest in Africa. It is the best win-win approach. When those companies make money we also make money, they create jobs and produce products everybody gains,” he said.
The President said in the last 300 or so years when capitalism started developing, one of the crisis of capitalism was shortage of markets, mainly because of the depression in 1929.
“Even some of the recent crisis in global economy is over issue of markets. Africa is a huge continent with a growing population. Once it has transformed to middle class society, it will enhance consumption not only for our benefit but for benefit of the whole world. When you buy what I produce you are supporting me. When I buy what you are producing am supporting you. Therefore assisting Africa to enhance its purchasing power is not only in the interest Africa but in the interest of the whole world,” he said.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed his heartfelt welcome to President Museveni for the six visits to Japan.
“Museveni is the dean of Africa and an old friend of Japan. Under his leadership, Uganda has achieved and enjoyed successive economic growth since 1990s. Uganda has been contributing to the peace and security of EAC and in this regard, I pay my respect,” he said.
Prime Minister Shinzo said he was extremely pleased that they held fruitful discussions and exchanged views with President Museveni and also issued joint statement for the first time.
