Museveni hails Denmark on Agriculture support, COVID-19 fight

Jun 26, 2020

Danish Ambassador to Uganda, Nicolaj Petersen was accompanied by his deputy Henrik Jespersen

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has commended the government and people of Denmark for the support they have rendered Uganda over the years which includes 40 milk coolers and the $28m fund to build a runway among others.

Denmark is also supporting local farmers with cheap loans through their ABI Trust Bank at a 10% interest rate according to the agriculture minister Vincent Ssempijja.

Museveni welcomed the arrangement and said that the channel of the money should be very cheap and beneficial to the farmers.

"I recommend the arrangement that your ABI Trust Bank gives the money directly to the people or even you can work with Uganda Development Bank because they also give low-interest loans," the President said.

The President on Thursday held a meeting with the Danish Ambassador to Uganda, Nicolaj Petersen, at State House in Entebbe.

Petersen was accompanied by his deputy Henrik Jespersen. Ssempijja attended the meeting together with foreign affairs minister Sam Kuteesa.

On the fight against the Coronavirus, President Museveni said that the government is focusing on avoiding the sickness and treating the sick people by supporting the body to fight the disease by itself.

"That is how and why we have 717 recoveries out of 805 positive cases by the 24th of June and we are working very hard to have a treatment," he said, adding that the real answer to the disease is getting the treatment or the vaccine.

President Museveni with the Danish delegation at State House in Entebbe. PPU Photo

Museveni and Petersen also discussed mutual cooperation between Uganda and Denmark especially in the field of agriculture.

On the elections, the President said that elections will go as guided by the Electoral Commission and scientists.

"If government radios are supported, they can ration time to candidates to speak to the people," he said.

Petersen commended Museveni and the government's efforts in the fight against the Coronavirus.

"We have been very impressed by Uganda's efforts in the fight against COVID-19 and that is why we are supporting the fight," Petersen said.   

He said his government made a donation of $1m to the ministry of health towards the fight against COVID-19.

"We gave $1m to the ministry of health for testing kits and protective gears in the fight against COVID-19," he said.

Petersen said that they have put $15m in the agricultural sector to be borrowed by farmers through their ABI Trust Bank at a low-interest rate.

"ABI Trust Bank has helped Ugandan farmers, we know how important Agriculture is to Uganda," he said.

Petersen briefed the President about the situation in Denmark, saying it is improving and the economy is opening up soon.

Uganda's Ambassador to Denmark, Nimisha Madhvani, also attended the meeting.

 

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