Uganda has been ranked 7th most influential country in Africa, with the army, the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) lauded for its efforts in peacekeeping.
“Uganda army may not be the most advanced in Africa but it is the most courageous and it has proved itself better than most force (sic) from the rest of Africa from 1993 when it (participated) in stopping the Rwanda genocide, protected Kenyans in 2008, fought the Rwandan rebel in Congo up to date, when its keeping peace in southern Sudan and largely in Somalia which was abandoned by most Africa great powers like the South Africa and the African Arab countries,’ How Africa states in a blog released October 29.
According to How Africa, Uganda was also able to maintain GDP growth at between 6.5 and 7 percent during the period 1990s up to 2010.
‘Uganda was among the first sub Saharan countries to embrace market reforms in the late 1990s and graduated as a mature reformer in 2006 with sound economic fundamentals and much improved governance. Real GDP growth accelerated from an average of 6.5 percent year-on-year in the 1990s to over 7 per cent during the 10 years leading up to 2009-10. Not surprisingly, Uganda qualifies as one of the few durable African success stories,’ Africa How states.
Top on the list released October 29, South Africa is ranked No.1 on the continent, followed by Ethiopia, Egypt, Kenya, Morocco and Nigeria. Others are (Uganda), Rwanda, Zimbabwe and Algeria.
‘South Africa is the only African country that is a member of the G20 and BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa grouping) and the only country of of the EU’s 10 global strategic partners,’ How Africa says of South Africa, the continent’s top ranked country.
Surprise package Zimbabwe, ranked No.9 is credited for standing up to the western powers.
‘The only that has not followed the conventional development strategies as directed by the western countries… the advantage is localization of the vast economic wealth/dividends moving forward as opposed to recording good GDP when in actual fact the country is nothing but a western resource extraction ground,’ How Africa says of the country that has been ruled by one man, President Robert Gabriel Mugabe, since Independence in 1980.
Neighbouring Kenya at No.4 has been singled out for educational prowess, while Rwanda at No.8 is credited for its UN peace keeping efforts among other credentials.
‘Kenya is a powerhouse in human resource capital. With the most educated population on the continent it also (has) the fastest growing ICT hub on the continent,’ Africa How says of Uganda’s neighbor to the east, Kenya.
