Janet and Laura after their meeting in the White House

By Geresom Musamali

The American First Lady, Laura Bush, is to set up health projects in Uganda.

Laura Bush made the disclosure on Tuesday while meeting First Lady Janet Museveni at the White House in Washington DC. Janet and President Yoweri Museveni are currently on a tour of the US.

“Janet and her host deliberated on a number of issues in the sectors of health, gender and empowerment of rural women in Africa,” a State House release said.

“Laura hailed her guest for her work in the health sector, especially in fighting the HIV/AIDS pandemic,” it added.

According to the statement, Laura is involved in several projects devoted to the promotion of health in Africa.

“This arrangement will be extended to Uganda to supplement the already excellent results realised by the country, especially in the health sector,” Laura is reported to have said.

Janet and her host also committed themselves to uplift the wellbeing of rural women in Africa.

They discussed agriculture and access to credit and clean water by rural women. Janet thanked her host for identifying with poor communities in Africa and for accepting to extend her work to Uganda.

Meanwhile, President Museveni has met US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the acting administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Henrietta Force.

Rice, according to a State House statement, said the US government was convinced that Uganda had for the last two years performed excellently in governance, the fight against corruption, guaranteed freedom of expression and improved education accessibility.

She noted that with the successes, Uganda should be able to benefit from the Millennium Challenge Account, a reward to countries that excel in the anti-corruption fight.

Rice told Museveni that relevant organs would consider Uganda’s achievements and status next December, and was optimistic the country would qualify for the fund.

Uganda has already received $10m from the Account to fight corruption.

Museveni thanked the US government for supporting development projects in Uganda.

The President said support from the Millennium Development Account would develop the economy and infrastructure like roads and power generation.

Museveni and Rice also discussed the security situation in the Great Lakes region. They centred on the progress of the peace talks between the Government and the Lord’s Resistance Army and the conflict in Somalia.

Museveni’s meeting with Force was at the Mayflower Hotel.

They discussed how the USAID could support Uganda manufacture cheap and affordable anti-retroviral drugs.

Museveni briefed Force on the 14-point programme for the rehabilitation of northern Uganda and asked the agency to support it.

On accountability and transparency of public funds, Museveni said the political will to fight graft was unquestionable, but added that a few problems still existed in the civil service.