Museveni hails Bill and Bush

By Alfred Wasike and Stephen Asiimwe PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has lauded US presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton for enacting the historic Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).“These were good presidents as far as I am concerned because they gave us AGOA. This has been the greatest act of fraternity by the US toward Africa in the last 500 years,” Museveni said while opening a regional seminar to prepare Africa for exports under AGOA.The two-day conference under the theme, “Maximising the benefits of AGOA in eastern Africa,” is attended by over 15 nations from eastern, central and southern Africa. It is sponsored by the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR), the Commercial Law Development Programme (CLDP) under the US Department of Commerce.Museveni also hailed the visiting US Assistant Trade Representative for Africa, Rosa Whittaker, for her leading role in the crusade for AGOA. Referring to her as the mother of AGOA, Museveni prompted laughter when he said the light-skinned African-American looked like she is from Kansanga, a Kampala suburb. “It was because of her and other warriors in the US that AGOA was enacted. From the beginning, I knew that the solution to Africa’s backwardness was trade and not aid. Africa needs investments, trade and tourism (ITT). Trade is the greatest stimulus for development, economic growth and social transformation,” he said.He caused more laughter when he said Africans were used to hawking and gave an illustration of a hawker selling handkerchiefs. Ntunda, ntunda obutambala. Munampamu sente meka? (I am selling. I am selling. How much are you giving me?). They don’t do business like that in the USA,” he said.He added that Africa had a greater rate of return on investment than the US, Europe and other developed countries.Museveni lamented that Africa had lost more than $91b in missed trade opportunities in the last twenty years.Whittaker said textiles and apparel were one of the fastest growing sectors Uganda could take advantage of. She said she was Museveni’s admirer since her school days. She said Uganda was chosen to host the seminar because Museveni and Uganda have been active supporters of the AGOA initiative from its inception. “Museveni was the first president to go to Congress to lobby for AGOA. Museveni was my hero. I studied him at college. I salute him and the Government of Uganda.“I challenge all African countries to tap deeply into the AGOA. Trade must be encouraged and not forced,” she said.US ambassador Martin Brennan said Africa was poised to develop if she took advantage of AGOA. “Compete or perish. The real money is in trade,” he said.