Germany’s President Köhler champion of development in Africa
THE President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Horst Köhler, arrived in Uganda yesterday on the invitation of President Yoweri Museveni.
By Stephen Ssenkaaba, John Odyek and Alfred Wasike
THE President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Horst Köhler, arrived in Uganda yesterday on the invitation of President Yoweri Museveni.
The visit is part of a regional tour, Focus on Africa. The programme, which aims at promoting partnership, peace and reconciliation as well as development on the African continent, will also take him to Rwanda.
Reinhardt Buchholz, the German Ambassador to Uganda, said the president and his wife, Eva Luise Köhler, will visit internally-displaced persons in Gulu. He is also expected to address students undertaking a Masters Degree in peace and conflict resolution at Makerere University.
He will also meet High Court Judges, 15 MPs and members of the civil society, among other activities.
Köhler’s visit will be another opportunity for him to champion his cause for economic development and peace in Africa.
It is a cause which Köhler, the former managing director of the International Monetary Fund, has defended for much of his professional life.
Nyine Bitahwa, Uganda’s ambassador to Germany, said Khöler’s visit would not only strengthen the cordial relationship between the two countries, but also pave the way for further partnership for the development of the country.
“As an expert on global economy, the German president has taken special interest in the economic advancement of developing countries like Uganda. His visit will create an opportunity for further collaboration for the development of Uganda,†he said.
In 2005, Köhler founded the Partnership with Africa Initiative, which aims at bringing together African leaders, entrepreneurs and writers with representatives of Germany’s political and business communities to discuss prospects for development.
“In a world that is growing closer together, we are all dependent on one another. No state can secure its own prosperity by going it alone. That is why I am committed to cooperation with Africa. Let us look towards the African continent through other eyes. It is a continent of the future,†he said.
Köhler said the partnership would launch a real dialogue: “an opportunity for countries of the North to put their questions and for the Africans to put theirs. To ponder both the questions we need to ask ourselves and the questions the Africans ask themselves.â€
He said the forum would bring together a core of people, including presidents and former presidents of various African countries that have embraced democracy, representatives of civil society, thinkers, writers and journalists to discuss key issues on development for Africa.
A strong advocate for good governance as an important prerequisite for development, Khöler believes that the developed world has a duty to work with Africa to alleviate corruption and establish better ways of using donor aid.
“There is nothing wrong with helping people. We have a duty, after all, to help our fellow men and women. And if this help has a negative impact, we have to find out why and correct it,†he said.
“I believe we are entitled to ask Africans to become more efficient, more credible and to combat home-grown corruption with greater vigour. It would be disastrous if increased aid and trade on our part were not matched by greater resolve, transparency and honesty on the part of Africa,†he added.
His efforts to champion partnership for the development of Africa have brought him in close contact with various African presidents such as Ghana’s John Kufour, South Africa’s Thabo Mbeki, Liberia’s Ellen Johnson Sirlief, and former leaders such as Mozambique’s Joachim Chisano, Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, and Alfa Oumar Konare of Mali.
As managing director of IMF, he recruited Abdoulaye Bio Tchane, former finance minister of Benin, to head the Africa Department. Tchane has written a book about corruption in Africa.
Born on February 22, 1943 in Skierbieszów, Poland, Köhler is a father of two.
KöHLER’S CAREER
1943: Attended military service.
1963-65: Trained as a reserve officer with the armoured infantry
1965 to 1969: Joined the University of Tübingen for economics.
He then became a research assistant at the Institute for Applied Economics Research at the same university.
He later became Policy Principles Directorate-General of the Federal Ministry of Economics.
1981: He joined the Christian Democratic Union. In the same year, he became Advisor to Gerhard Stoltenberg at the State Chancellery of Land Schleswig-Holstein.
Served as Policy Principles Directorate-General, International Directorate-General at the Federal Ministry of Finance.
Became State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Finance lPresident of the German Savings Bank Association.
1998 - 2000: President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in London.
2000: Became managing director of the International Monetary Fund.
2003: Was awarded honorary professorship at the University of Tübingen.
2004: Was elected President of the Federal Republic of Germany
THE President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Horst Köhler, arrived in Uganda yesterday on the invitation of President Yoweri Museveni.
The visit is part of a regional tour, Focus on Africa. The programme, which aims at promoting partnership, peace and reconciliation as well as development on the African continent, will also take him to Rwanda.
Reinhardt Buchholz, the German Ambassador to Uganda, said the president and his wife, Eva Luise Köhler, will visit internally-displaced persons in Gulu. He is also expected to address students undertaking a Masters Degree in peace and conflict resolution at Makerere University.
He will also meet High Court Judges, 15 MPs and members of the civil society, among other activities.
Köhler’s visit will be another opportunity for him to champion his cause for economic development and peace in Africa.
It is a cause which Köhler, the former managing director of the International Monetary Fund, has defended for much of his professional life.
Nyine Bitahwa, Uganda’s ambassador to Germany, said Khöler’s visit would not only strengthen the cordial relationship between the two countries, but also pave the way for further partnership for the development of the country.
“As an expert on global economy, the German president has taken special interest in the economic advancement of developing countries like Uganda. His visit will create an opportunity for further collaboration for the development of Uganda,†he said.
In 2005, Köhler founded the Partnership with Africa Initiative, which aims at bringing together African leaders, entrepreneurs and writers with representatives of Germany’s political and business communities to discuss prospects for development.
“In a world that is growing closer together, we are all dependent on one another. No state can secure its own prosperity by going it alone. That is why I am committed to cooperation with Africa. Let us look towards the African continent through other eyes. It is a continent of the future,†he said.
Köhler said the partnership would launch a real dialogue: “an opportunity for countries of the North to put their questions and for the Africans to put theirs. To ponder both the questions we need to ask ourselves and the questions the Africans ask themselves.â€
He said the forum would bring together a core of people, including presidents and former presidents of various African countries that have embraced democracy, representatives of civil society, thinkers, writers and journalists to discuss key issues on development for Africa.
A strong advocate for good governance as an important prerequisite for development, Khöler believes that the developed world has a duty to work with Africa to alleviate corruption and establish better ways of using donor aid.
“There is nothing wrong with helping people. We have a duty, after all, to help our fellow men and women. And if this help has a negative impact, we have to find out why and correct it,†he said.
“I believe we are entitled to ask Africans to become more efficient, more credible and to combat home-grown corruption with greater vigour. It would be disastrous if increased aid and trade on our part were not matched by greater resolve, transparency and honesty on the part of Africa,†he added.
His efforts to champion partnership for the development of Africa have brought him in close contact with various African presidents such as Ghana’s John Kufour, South Africa’s Thabo Mbeki, Liberia’s Ellen Johnson Sirlief, and former leaders such as Mozambique’s Joachim Chisano, Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, and Alfa Oumar Konare of Mali.
As managing director of IMF, he recruited Abdoulaye Bio Tchane, former finance minister of Benin, to head the Africa Department. Tchane has written a book about corruption in Africa.
Born on February 22, 1943 in Skierbieszów, Poland, Köhler is a father of two.
KöHLER’S CAREER
1943: Attended military service.
1963-65: Trained as a reserve officer with the armoured infantry
1965 to 1969: Joined the University of Tübingen for economics.
He then became a research assistant at the Institute for Applied Economics Research at the same university.
He later became Policy Principles Directorate-General of the Federal Ministry of Economics.
1981: He joined the Christian Democratic Union. In the same year, he became Advisor to Gerhard Stoltenberg at the State Chancellery of Land Schleswig-Holstein.
Served as Policy Principles Directorate-General, International Directorate-General at the Federal Ministry of Finance.
Became State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Finance lPresident of the German Savings Bank Association.
1998 - 2000: President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in London.
2000: Became managing director of the International Monetary Fund.
2003: Was awarded honorary professorship at the University of Tübingen.
2004: Was elected President of the Federal Republic of Germany