Kadaga signs pact with UAE Parliament

Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga last week led a delegation of 6 Uganda MPs on a visit to the United Arab Emirates Federal National council on the invitation of the Speaker of the UAE the Federal National council (Parliament), H.E DR Amal Al Qubaisi.

 The delegation was received in Dubai by Uganda's ambassador Irene Florence Persis Wekiya, who also doubles as Permanent representative to International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and H.E Jasim Abdalla al Naqbi, Member of the Federal National council.

The Speaker visited the Sharja Chamber of Commerce and Industry which has been holding annual trade and investment visits to Uganda for the past three years with the support of ambassador Wekiya.

She also visited Dubai Cares, a charitable organization that provides funding for a number of schools and programs in Uganda especially in Jinja, Adjumani and Yumbe districts, as well as the Nabagereka foundation. Dubai Cares agreed to work with the Parliament of Uganda to identify more areas in which they could support Uganda.

The delegation also visited the UAE ministry of Climate change in a bid to learn more on how a desert like UAE has lately been receiving more rain than Uganda.

They shared experiences with the UAE climate change and environment minister Thani Ahmed Al Zayoudi who has been the brain behind the positive climate change in the UAE especially the increment of rain.  They agreed to keep on working together and sharing information in order to help Uganda tackle their ever increasing problems associated with climate change.

Kadaga signed a memorandum of cooperation and understanding with the Federal National Council of the United Emirates and the Parliament of Uganda witnessed by MPs from both countries and the ambassador Wekiya.

The memorandum mainly emphasizes the common interests of both countries and both agreed to the enhancement of cooperation frameworks and exchange of views on various issues of common interests for example security, stability, peace and human rights.

The speaker was also concerned about the mistreatment of Ugandan labourers in UAE, and she was assured that UAE laws had changed and that any worker who felt mistreated at work was free to leave, and their police would work with the Uganda embassy to ensure safe return home even without a passport, and all they need is just an air ticket.

 

Ugandans were therefore cautioned against moving without their documents due to a crackdown on illegal immigrants in Dubai and other areas of UAE.