Share this article

President Yoweri Museveni received a special message from the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, H.E Abiy Ahmed through his envoy Ambassador Taye Atske Selassie.

The Prime Minister of Ethiopia, H.E. Abiy Ahmed, sent a special message to President Yoweri Museveni at the statehouse in Entebbe yesterday, August 17, 2023.

The message was delivered to the President by the Ethiopian envoy to Uganda, Ambassador Taye Atske Selassie, yesterday at State House, Entebbe. 

President Museveni and the envoy discussed a number of regional issues ranging from security, economic development as well as the role of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in conflict resolutions in the region. 

The President guided on the issue of “Identity versus interest” saying that leaders should always look at the interest as opposed to the identity.

“When you emphasise identity over interest that is dangerous because you are endangering the prosperity of your people,” he noted.

He said that most conflicts are based on tribalistic ideas that do not benefit the people. 

President Yoweri Museveni also urged African political leaders and the African people in general to shun the politics of identity that characterized most of the post-independence Africa noting that politic of identity that was mostly based on tribes and religions were counterproductive, diversionary, and led to the emergency of many failed states in post-independence Africa.

He emphasised the importance of dialogue in solving conflicts on the region.

He called upon the people of Ethiopia and the African continent in general to do away with politics of identity and focus on politics of interest and support leaders based on their political agenda as opposed to their tribes or religious affiliations.

On his part, Ambassador Selassie thanked President Museveni for the reception and a lauded him for his role in ensuring stability in the Great Lakes region.