Museveni, Xi discuss infrastructure development

President Yoweri Museveni has met his counterpart President Xi Jinping of China at the sidelines of the ongoing BRICS summit in South Africa.

The two leaders discussed a series of infrastructure development projects and new areas of cooperation including support to the Uganda Airlines route opening to China.

This is the second time the two leaders are meeting in three years, with a possible third meeting scheduled for this September during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit that will take place in Beijing.

"In March 2015, we had very productive discussions regarding Uganda as an important partner in Africa. I'm grateful that we are meeting again and our relationship is growing fast. You have supported us in a number of projects including Karuma and Isimba power stations that will see more power added on River Nile. The Standard Gauge Railway negotiations with CCECC are near conclusion and China needs to help us on this. A Chinese company Guangzhou Dongsong Energy Group Limited is also licensed to mine phosphates in Sukulu Hills in Tororo district among other areas," Museveni said at the bilateral meeting in Sandton.

Museveni used the meeting to push for new requests including a line of credit to buy industrial machinery from China and the industrial park where China agreed to assist with a power line in Kapeeka and support to Uganda through tourism since Uganda is reviving the Uganda Airlines that will also be flying to China.

Xi said China would try to find well-positioned companies to support the SGR project and to encourage Chinese companies to operate in Uganda. He also said China will open up its markets to Uganda's agricultural products.

He said China will invite NRM officials to China to benchmark on the governance and the poverty reduction processes there.

The summit, being held under the theme: BRICS in Africa: Collaboration for inclusive Growth and Shared Prosperity in the Fourth Industrial Revolution seeks to strengthen the relationship between BRICS member states and Africa.

The BRICS leaders will today interact with African leaders during the BRICS Africa Outreach on how best they can bring about "inclusive growth" and "shared prosperity".

Museveni will address the BRICS Africa Outreach meeting on Friday morning and also hold several bilateral meetings with other heads of state.

The BRICS Summit is an international relations conference attended by the heads of state or heads of government of the five member states including Michel Temer of Brazil, Vladimir Putin of Russia, Narendra Modi of India, Xi Jinping China and Cryil Ramaphosa of South Africa.