President Yoweri Museveni, who is in the US for the 70th United Nations General Assembly, has said that the world will be more prosperous through the production and consumption of goods and services and an improved infrastructure base to link them up.
Speaking today at the 2015 African Heads of State Investment and Working Lunch on the theme, ‘Intra-African Investment: Programme for infrastructure development in Africa and Regional Economic Integration’, held at Thomson Reuters, Broadway, New York, Mr Museveni said the world’s common interest is prosperity through trade saying the production of goods and services creates jobs and enhances the purchasing power of Africans to be able to buy more goods.
“These three yardsticks when applied to Africa will see Africa as a continent of the present and future for the prosperity of the whole world. It is time for Africa to help ourselves and the world economy,” he said, adding that what Africa needs is entrepreneurs with spectacles to see opportunities and the money to take advantage of those opportunities.
The President was speaking along side other African leaders including Liberia’s Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Malawi’s Peter Mutharika, Ethiopia’s Hailemariam Desalegn and the South Sudan Vice President James Wani Igga. The leaders called for foreign investments on the continent describing it as the fastest growing region in the world despite various challenges including lack of infrastructure such as roads and electricity.
The leaders emphasized economic integration of Africa through regional blocs such as ECOWAS, COMESA, SADC and EAC. They said the USA administration opened access to their markets tax and quota free through Agoa and that other countries such as China, India and Japan have also opened up their markets to Africa.
“The point is when you invest in Africa, you not only access market of a country but also the region, the continent and the world,” President Museveni said.
The luncheon was organized by Africa Investor, the premier African investment and private sector development platform for domestic and global institutional investment decision makers, African governments, development Finance Institutions and business leaders working in Africa and other stakeholders.
Meanwhile, Mr Museveni has explained why he uses his left hand to greet following concerns from the public over his bandaged right hand.
“When I was going to Japan, while in a hurry, I strongly hit my right hand against the door of the car. The doctor applied some anti-inflammation gel when there was some swelling. We did not concentrate on it because it did not hurt but remained slightly discomforting. When later an x-ray was done, it was discovered that there was a small spiral fracture on the metacarpal bone of the right last finger (akahara) which is being managed conservatively. It is not painful except when direct pressure is applied on it.
That is why I use the left hand to greet. Managing conservatively means using a bandage for two weeks,” Mr Museveni said.
