Kutesa suspends all his business interests

Jun 13, 2014

The UN General Assembly president and Uganda’s foreign minister, Sam Kutesa, has suspended all his business interests, including those Entebbe Handling Services (ENHAS) to focus on the prestigious UN job.

By Taddeo Bwambale

The UN General Assembly president and Uganda’s foreign minister, Sam Kutesa, has suspended all his business interests, including those Entebbe Handling Services (ENHAS) to focus on the prestigious UN job.

Kutesa was elected to take the leadership of the 193-member body on Wednesday. He becomes the second East
African after Tanzania’s Dr. Salim Ahmed Salim (1979- 80) and 12th from Africa to hold the presidency of the UN’s top policy organ since it was established in 1945.

At a press briefing shortly after he was elected, Kutesa was tasked with explaining his relationship with ENHAS, which has contracts with the UN.

Kutesa announced that he had suspended his interests in the company and other businesses, prior to assuming the presidency.

Established in 1996, ENHAS offers ground handling services including passenger handling, baggage tracing, cargo and ramp services at Entebbe International Airport.

In his opening comments, Kutesa outlined his priorities during the presidency as the formulation of a post-2015 development agenda, climate change, empowerment of women and gender equality, revitalisation of the UN General Assembly and reform of the Security Council, enhancing co-operation between the UN and regional and sub-regional organisations, promotion of peaceful settlement of disputes and peace-building.

He also pledged cordial relations with New York senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles Schumer who were opposed to his bid for the post.

Schumer had said he was deeply concerned by the homophobic legislation passed by Uganda’s Parliament and asked the UN to review Kutesa’s participation and views on such legislation.

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