Uganda Courts China For Reforms At UN Security Council
The Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa has courted the People’s Republic of China to support Uganda’s push for reforms at the United Nations Security Council to have at least two slots for African countries as permanent members. Tayebwa hosted the Deputy Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China, Luosang Jiangcun at parliament and called for an improved balance of trade between the two states.
The UN Security Council is composed of 15 Members of which Five members are permanent including China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States while 10 are non-permanent members elected for two-year terms by the General Assembly. According to Tayebwa, the absence of Africa on the panel of five has left the continent on the receiving end of world violence.
The Deputy Speaker explained that Uganda and China have continued to enjoy, deepen, and consolidate good relations in diverse fields – including cooperation in political, security, economic, social, cultural, and scientific disciplines. He sought Mr Jiangcun’s support for Uganda’s push for major reforms at the UN Security Council through China-Africa cooperation to cure historical injustices.
While meeting with H.E. Luosang Jiangcun the Deputy Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) of the People’s Republic of China, Tayebwa also applauded the Chinese Government for donating a fleet of 70 vehicles to Uganda to facilitate the hosting of the Non- Aligned Movement –NAM and G77 Summit plus China slated to take place next year.
The engagement which took place at the Parliamentary Conference Hall was also attended by Uganda’s Foreign Affairs Minister Henry Oryem, State Minister for Trade David Bahati, Government Chief Whip Dennis Hamson Obua, and Shadow Attorney General Wilfred Niwagaba among others. Tayebwa expressed discomfort with the trade imbalance between the two states with Uganda earning only $57.7million (equivalent to 218.6Bn) in exports to China annually compared to $880m (equivalent to Sh3.3Tn) imports from China
Addressing MPs through a translator, Mr Luosang Jiangcun commended the growing ties between Uganda and China saying it’s a key driver of development for the two partner states.
