Mahmood Abbas at Entebbe Airport on Friday nightBy Joyce Namutebi
THE State of Palestine is to open an embassy in Kampala and in due course Uganda will also open an embassy in Ramallah, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Asuman Kiyingi has said.
This was agreed on Saturday during a meeting between President Yoweri Museveni and the President of the State of Palestine, Mahmood Abbas, he said.
Abbas was on an official visit to Uganda from January 6 to 7 at the invitation of President Museveni.
The two leaders held friendly discussions and exchanged views on a wide range of bilateral, regional African, Middle East and International issues of common interest, a joint communiqué issued at the end of the official visit said.
The communiqué signed by Kiyingi and Palestine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Riyad Malki was read to journalists by the former at the Ministry offices in Kampala on Saturday.
The Presidents expressed their commitment to develop further the existing cordial relations between the two peoples and establishing a framework of cooperation in the political, diplomatic, economic and social fields.
On the Middle East issues, they expressed concern over the continuing Israeli-Palestinian conflict which has affected millions of people and which fuels insecurity and instability in the region. They were encouraged by efforts of the quartet for a meeting which took place recently in Amman, Jordan, to resume today (Jan 9).
Museveni, according to the communiqué, welcomed President Abbas and his delegation most warmly to Uganda and commended him for the long and untiring efforts of the Palestinian people towards achievement of economic development, democracy, unity, peace and security in a sovereign state of Palestine.
He reiterated Uganda’s principled position of support for the right of the Palestinian people to self- determination according to the two-state solution where the state of Israel and the state of Palestine exist side by side in peace, security and prosperity.
Abbas commended the Government of Uganda for the many great achievements made in economic development, consolidation of democracy, peace and stability in Uganda and in the region.
He expressed appreciation for the warm welcome and hospitality accorded to him and his delegation by the Government and people of Uganda during his historic and memorable stay in the country.
Abbas was accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Riyad Malki, the Palestinian Ambassador to Uganda, Zuhair Al-Shun and senior government officials while Museveni was accompanied by Kiyingi and the Minister of Security who is also Minister for the Presidency, Muruuli Mukasa, among others.
Kiyingi told journalists that the two presidents discussed security issues. He said that Palestine could be an ally in dealing with groups distablising the region like the Al-Shabaab.
A State House release said the two presidents noted that there was need to invest more enough effort in rebuilding Africa Arab relations, adding that they would work towards redirecting these relations based on trust, development and cooperation.
The two leaders witnessed the signing of a joint communiqué