President Museveni has emphasized that education, alongside peace and security, infrastructure development, democracy and market access will unlock Africa’s potential and put the continent on a path to prosperity.
“Once there is education in Africa, they will know how to navigate. But now there is brain drain. Education without peace, democracy, infrastructure development and market integration is not enough. It has to be education and other things,” he said.
The President was yesterday giving his views in a question and answer session on the theme, “Next Generation Africa – Realising the Promise of Integration”.
The President started on a light note when he was asked by the moderator Sangu Delle the Chief Executive Officer, Golden Palm Investments, Ghana, the secret of his hat.
“I was told by my son not to go out without the hat. I spend most of my time outdoors in the tropics. My son told me the hat will protect me from the sun. That’s the story of my hat,” he said.
The President said Uganda and Africa are addressing bottlenecks to prosperity and development including addressing issues like ideology (Identity vs interests), market integration, unity, patriotism and pan Africanism.
“People don’t understand that the 54 countries in Africa can’t be prosperous if they don’t integrate especially economically and politically,” he said.
Asked what type of Africa he would like to leave, the President said, “One with one common market, a big stimulus for production.”
“I would like to see one common market for Africa. I would also like to see bigger political unions to defend ourselves in the world of giants,” he said.
When asked about what he is proud of as his achievement for the people of Uganda, President Museveni said fighting sectarianism and pushing politics which is not based on religion and tribes
Museveni is in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) where he is attending the 4th Africa Global Business Forum hosted by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce at Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah centre.
The forum gathers hundreds of businessmen and private sector leaders for a two-day discussion on increasing investment on the African continent.
The conference was attended by African presidents that included Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, that of Seychelles, Mauritius and Ghana’s Vice President.