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In a meeting at State House Entebbe, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of Uganda and President Carlos Manuel Vila Nova of São Tomé and Principe discussed bilateral relations, with a focus on economic cooperation. President Museveni expressed Uganda’s readiness to collaborate, particularly in fish processing.

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni yesterday met and held discussions with the President of São Tomé and Principe, H.E Carlos Manuel Vila Nova.

During a meeting held at State House Entebbe, the two leaders discussed issues concerning bilateral relations between the two countries, with key focus on economic cooperation.

President Museveni assured his guest that Uganda is ready to cooperate with São Tomé and Principe in various sectors of the economy.

“We will tap into this opportunity and cooperate in processing fish for you. I will call our fish processors here and we will discuss further on how we can work together,” he said.

“We have got about 22 factories for fish processing for freshwater fish like Nile perch, Tilapia and others along the shores of Lake Victoria. So, I think it would be a great idea for us to utilise that big ocean in your country and we start our partnership.”

President Museveni further told H.E Manuel that the National Resistance Movement (NRM) ideology of prosperity is the reason for the country’s progressive development since the 1980s, thus encouraging him to also implement such ideology.

“For prosperity, as a country, you must be able to produce a good or a service and sell it and get money. The people need a market because if you produce something, and nobody buys, you will not be prosperous,” he added.

“In my culture we are cattle keepers, we have milk, beef, bananas, coffee and ghee but we cannot sell much to our tribemates because they also have the same products. That means that our prosperity depends more on Uganda than it depends on Ankole.”

The President also noted that for a country to be prosperous, it must have the elements of Patriotism, Pan-Africanism, socio-economic transformation and Democracy.

“They are vital in promoting prosperity,” he added.

On his part, H.E Manuel affirmed that his country is honoured to partner with Uganda in order to enhance the economies of both countries.

“I support this move, let us see how we can work together in this sector,” he noted.

President Manuel further expressed gratitude towards President Museveni for his efforts aimed at promoting economic development and bringing peace to the region.

“Thank you for inviting me, I am very honoured to be here. As a small island country with a population of about 200,000 people, we have a lot to learn from regional leaders like you.”

H.E Manuel who is on a two-day working visit to Uganda, will tomorrow visit Kiira Motors Corporation in Jinja.

The meeting was also attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gen. Jeje Odongo and the Director General of External Security Organization (ESO), Ambassador Joseph Ocwet.