African ministers and Central Bank governors meeting in the Angolan capital Luanda have expressed concern at the illicit financial flows from the continent.

Speaking at the African Caucus forum, the President of the African Group and Minister of Finance of Angola, Armando Manuel noted that savings can be made by reducing on the financial outflows.

“This obliges us to look for other sources of financing including savings that can be made from restricting illicit financial flows from Africa, especially measures that can be taken to radically reduce these mass monetary outflows and guarantee that they are used for development in the African continent,” he noted.

Nineteen African ministers of finance and fourteen Central Bank Governors are meeting in preparation for the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group, and emphasis today fell on combatting illicit financial flows to improve the mobilisation of internal resources, a topic addressed by former South African president Thabo Mbeki.

The African Caucus represents 40 African countries including hosts Angola, whose Vice President Manuel Vicente opened the Caucus meeting earlier today ahead of meetings with the Bretton Woods Institutions.

‘The African Caucus was created with the aim of preventing African Governors from presenting in the Annual Meeting of the IMF and WBG the economic and financial problems that affect the respective countries alone,’ a release by Africa Press Organisation (APO), states.

And, speaking at the forum, Vicente underscored the importance of poverty alleviation, saying it leads to sustainable development.

Vicente further noted that African countries must have a more comprehensive outlook, integrating the diversification of the economy based on national and regional value chains in potential competitive sectors.

“In truth, we have to add more value to our resources, whether in the directly productive activities, or through infrastructure and additional or supporting activities such as, transport and telecommunications systems, banking and financial systems generating integrated development hubs, “he said.

Discussion panels for the opening day included regional economic outlooks, economic transformation and diversification, combating illicit financial flows to improve mobilisation of internal resources, environmental and social safeguards and consultations for the governors.
Meanwhile, David Robinson, the Vice-Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and one of the speakers at the African Caucus said that the fall in oil prices is a significant negative shock for the oil exporting countries which have had to make marked adjustments.

Mr Robinson, who presented the theme ‘Africa: Regional Economic Outlooks’  pointed to the following public financial measures:  budget cuts  in the 2015 expenditure, above all in investments, fuel subsidies reform, taxation measures, including tax rate increases, and greater exchange rate flexibility wherever possible.

The representative of the IMF to the African Caucus noted that the oil producing countries have to tackle issues such as the orderly implementation of spending cuts, prioritise social sectors and infrastructure and mobilise non-oil revenues.

“It is necessary to address low liquidity in the foreign exchange markets in countries with flexible arrangements and the absence of foreign exchange instruments in countries whose currency is indexed to the Euro,” the APO release states in part.

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President Yoweri Museveni has cautioned local leaders to handle land matters carefully, in order to avoid mistakes that will discourage investors.

The President, who made the remarks while meeting a delegation of councilors and mobilisers from Kayunga District Local Councils at State House in Entebbe, said the investors pay taxes and create jobs for Ugandans.

He told the leaders that land matters need to be handled with care and that victims in Kayunga land wrangles will be handled by the Office of the Inspector General of Police. He also clarified that public land users are customary and lawful owners as the law clearly stipulates adding that squatters who bought plots from land owners should not leave their land.

“NRM leaders, you should speak the truth about the squatters’ land wrangles so that we can buy land for them and the matter is settled. But all these should be legal,” he said.

Mr Museveni urged the people of Kayunga to desist from land fragmentation saying land which is consolidated is advantageous because one can carry out large scale commercial farming. He called on all Ugandans to appreciate the need for a balanced national economy adding that people should not ignore other important economic sectors like roads, electricity, tourism, education and health.

He commended the Kayunga delegation for their forward looking ideas of nurturing markets not only internally but also at regional and continental levels.

“You are real Africans because you have mentioned the issue of the South Sudan market which is growing. We cannot be prosperous on small markets,” he said.

The President was reacting to remarks by members of the delegation who commended his efforts to bring peace in Uganda and to South Sudan following the recently signed peace deal signed in Addis Ababa and in Juba by President Salva Kiir and Mr Riek Machar. They noted that the peace deal between the leaders in South Sudan had increased market opportunities for Ugandan entrepreneurs.

The Minister of State for Lands who is also Woman MP for Kayunga district, Aidah Nantaba thanked the president for promoting development programmes and for entrusting her with the responsibility of following up on programmes that are aimed at enhancing the development of the people.

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The government has earmarked 70 billion shillings to help the children of fallen soldiers.

The President was addressing 2000 children of fallen soldiers at Namboole Stadium, whom he assured of support to improve their welfare.

He also said government will ensure that they access the Youth Livelihood funds under Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development and directed the Permanent Secretary Mr Pius Bigirimana to explain to them more about the program.

Mr Museveni further assured the children that government will support them since the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) has the records of their parents.

He also urged them not to squander their lives but utilize the opportunities availed to them to transform their lives.

“The most important thing is that you should look after your life. Don’t drink, don’t involve in promiscuity because your life is wealth. If you are alive, other things will come. Please look after your health, be disciplined and utilise all the opportunities the government will give you and we shall support you,’’ Mr Museveni said.

He said that government would find ways of helping those whose parents did not register ‘as they are all Ugandans’.

The President said he was happy to see that the youth are organized and called on them to work together.

“I’m happy to see that you are organized. If you are organized, it is easy to address your issues,’’ he said.

The State Minister for Defence General Jeje Odongo thanked the President for coming to share with the children of the fallen comrades.

Maj Gen Wilson Mbadi, the Joint Chief of Staff said the UPDF will continue to interact with the children of the fallen comrades through encouraging them to join the forces and added that the army would follow up on payment of the survival benefits to the families and also help them access youth livelihood funds.

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President Yoweri Museveni has called on the leaders of the Rwenzururu Kingdom in Kasese and Obundhingiya in Bundibugyo to stop dragging the NRM government into kingdom matters.

Mr Museveni also asked the leaders to separate Obusinga issues from administrative units and told them to give time to the government to internalize the matters surrounding requests for Bugendera to be given a district status.

The President was meeting delegations from the two cultural institutions at State House Entebbe, led by Wilson Mutabazi Mukirane and Fulgensio Bamwitirebye of Kasese and Bundibugyo, respectively.

“Rwenzori sub-region is an area whose people actively participated in the protracted people’s struggle. There are three kings who are officially known. The fourth one is not yet recognized. Observe the national Constitution,” he said.

On the issue of land, the President warned that they cannot stop any Ugandan from owning property in any part of the country, and said that Omukama Oyo Kabamba Iguru of Tooro has got the right to visit and access his personal property in Kasese district.

He further warned them against involving Kings in matters of other people’s pieces of land

President Museveni was unhappy to note that many youth in that sub-region who attacked the army were killed. He revealed that the Government granted amnesty to those that survived that conflict but added that the people who killed the Basongora civilian families, would not be forgiven. He stressed that the law would take its course against those who killed civilians.

He said that the NRM Government’s role is to develop infrastructure such as roads and maintain peace and security.

The leader of the Bundibugyo delegation, Mr Bamwitirebye, assured the President that Bamba and Bakonzo communities were currently living in harmony. He thanked the President for government’s support of Shs 200million towards the construction of their palace and for the continued peace and security in the Rwenzori region and the entire country.

During the meeting, the President also took the opportunity to welcome Mr Taban Christopher Kibanzanga and Mr Gideon Mugisa to the National Resistance Movement (NRM).

The two leaders took an oath of allegiance to the NRM before the President and the leaders of Bukonzo and Bwamba.

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Brig Henry Tumukunde has been promoted to the rank of Lt Gen and retired from the army.

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The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has ‘advised’ the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) to learn from it on how to carry out free and fair elections.

Addressing the press at the party head offices in Kampala today, DRC spokesman Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda noted that the party flag bearer campaigns are moving on well and so will the elections.

He disclosed that his party asked the NRM and other political parties to attend the flag bearer elections exercise so that they can ‘learn’ from the FDC.

“We invited the NRM so that they learn that people within the same party can compete and shake hands; we invited political parties so that they can emulate us,” Nganda, who is also the Kyadondo East MP, said.

It was not possible to reach NRM spokesperson Mary Karooro Okurut for comment, but the FDC spokesperson said that the ‘successful national campaigns’ by Col Dr Kizza Besigye and Maj Gen Mugisha Muntu, the party flag bearer candidates show that the party is strong and united.

“Apart from persuading delegates to elect them, they have also marketed the party and engaged supporters,” Ssemujju Nganda said, adding: ‘the intention is not to only build FDC but offer lessons. We congratulate ourselves on the achievement.”

He stressed that the party faces challenges but that they will overcome them and have better elections. “We will capitalize on our weaknesses to make this exercise better; we will deal with them.”

In other developments, the FDC has released a register of 1043 delegates who will vote at the delegates’ conference to be held on September 3. On the same day the delegates will also elect the 17 members of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).

Meanwhile, the FDC Electoral Commissioner has said the flag bearer elections process is progressing well.

Handing the election registers to Wilberforce Kyambadde, the team leader of ‘Besigye camp’ and James Kalija, the ‘Team Muntu’ leader, Mr Dan Mugarura said the exercise shows that the party is transparent.

“The registers approved by party Electoral Commission were handed to both teams; both teams agreed so that we share responsibility and these are the authentic documents we will use for the election,” said Mr Mugarura.

The Forum for Democratic Change is set to hold elections on September 3 to choose who will contest for presidency in 2016 against several contestants including incumbent President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.

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