EAM Jaishankar meets Ugandan counterpart Jeje, takes stock of 'close and historical' ties

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday met his Ugandan counterpart General Odongo Jeje and took stock of the "close and historical ties" between the two nations, and acknowledged that possibilities of partnerships in trade, investments, energy, defence and air connectivity were being explored. Jaishankar is on a two-nation visit to Uganda and Mozambique from April 10-15 to bolster India’s robust bilateral relations with the two African countries.

Jaishankar said he had "comprehensive discussions" with his Ugandan counterpart and thanked him for the warmth of the welcome.

"Took stock of our close and historical ties that have been given greater intensity by our leadership. Possibilities in trade & investments, energy, defence and air connectivity being explored," Jaishankar said in a tweet.

During the meeting, Jaishankar also affirmed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Kampala principles will be further implemented with a focus on digital, green and health projects.

In 2018, Prime Minister Modi unveiled a set of 10 guiding principles that would dictate India’s engagement with Africa.

In his speech at the Ugandan parliament, Prime Minister Modi outlined a vision for not just a bilateral relationship with Africa but also a partnership at the global level. The External Affairs Minister also participated in the virtual groundbreaking ceremony of solar-powered piped drinking water supply systems funded by the Exim Bank in Uganda.

"This project will provide safe and sustainable water supply to half a million Ugandans across 20 rural districts," Jaishankar tweeted.

Jaishankar also met Uganda's Minister of Water and Environment Sam Cheptoris, Minister of Trade, Mwebesa Francis and Industry & Cooperatives and MoS for Foreign Affairs.

"Noted successful delivery of Indian development partnership projects, which will aim towards empowerment, capacity building and enhancing human resource capacity," Jaishankar said in another tweet.

Earlier in the day, Jaishankar addressed members of the Parliamentary Forum on Indian Affairs in Uganda and said India's G20 presidency is different in the sense that no other chair has made an effort to consult all the countries from the Global South. Jaishankar said India would like to use the G20 presidency to get the forum focussed on its mandate which is global growth and development and issues important for Uganda.

"Issues of green growth, debt, Sustainable Development Goals, digital delivery. We would like the G20 to focus on all these issues," he said.

India will make efforts to include concerns of the Global South in the G20 framework under its presidency of the influential bloc.

India assumed the Presidency of the G20 for one year from December 1 last year. The G20 Summit will be held in New Delhi on September 9-10 this year. Jaishankar, who arrived in Uganda on Monday, met President Yoweri Museveni at his farm in Rwakitura and conveyed to him the personal greetings of Prime Minister Modi and reiterated India's full support to Uganda for a very successful chairship of the Non-Alignment Movement (NAM).

"I will certainly, on behalf of India, reiterate our fullest support for your very successful Chairship of the Non-Aligned Movement," he said, adding that "we expect, again, the Non-Aligned Movement will get kind of a new energy under the Uganda Chairship.