By Vision Reporter

President Yoweri Museveni has urged African leaders to mobilise their people to take advantage of the global crisis to produce more food rather than lament over it.

He said he was happy about the crisis because it would wake up the “wonderful” Africans who do not produce and also make the Europeans see the reality.

“If we cannot produce sophisticated machines, why don’t we produce food? If we cannot produce anything, then what are we for?’ he asked.

The President, who is in Japan for the fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development in Yokohama City, made the remarks while meeting Sierra Leone leader Ernest Bai Korroma on Wednesday.

According to a statement issued by the presidential press secretary, Tamale Mirundi, Museveni noted that Africa’s food production was deliberately undermined by the bad European policies like blocking its markets to products from the continent.

On unemployment, Museveni said educated youths, who do not have jobs, do not value leaders who do not create employment for them.

Korroma concurred with Museveni on the importance of value addition to African goods.

Museveni also met Madagascar’s president Mark Ravalomanana with whom he discussed regional and international issues.

Ravalomanana commended Museveni for transforming Uganda.

“Whenever I face challenges, I think about you and in many cases, I emulate you,” Ravalomanana said.

Museveni also met Sadako Ogata, the president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency. Ogata assured Museveni that Japan would fund the construction of the new proposed bridge on the River Nile in Jinja.

She added that her agency would set up a rice research centre for Africa in Uganda to boost the production of the crop.

Museveni also toured stalls of Ugandan exhibitors at the African Trade Fair. They included Crystal Coffee, Nogamu, Voix Trading, Phoenix Logistics and Smile Earth.