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Czech flag raised in Kampala

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Martin Tlapa visited the Republic of Uganda from 22 to 24 September 2021. The Deputy Minister with his delegation was received by President Yoweri Museveni. The meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs was followed by a plenary session attended also by the Minister of Trade and his Deputy as well as Deputy Minister of Finance. Defence cooperation, health and agriculture were identified as priority areas for bilateral cooperation. The Czech Republic will assist Uganda with Covid-19 vaccines. Czech medical equipment was presented during the meeting with the Deputy Minister of Health. 

Deputy Minister Tlapa also officially opened the Czech Honorary Consulate in Kampala. 
 

Uganda is one of the important partners of the Czech Republic in East Africa. Uganda actively participates in stabilization of the Horn of Africa, including fight against terrorism. It takes part in the United Nations and African Union peacekeeping operations, provides the largest contingent to the AMISOM in Somalia. Uganda plays an important role in conflict mediation, for instance in South Sudan and Burundi. On its territory, Uganda hosts over 1.4 million refugees and recently admitted 2000 refugees from Afghanistan.

Bilateral talks with Mr. Jeje Odongo, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uganda, were held in the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs signed in 2013. The tête-à-tête discussion was followed by a plenary session with participation of Minister of Trade Mr. Francis Mwebesa and his Deputy Ms. Harriet Ntabaazi, with Deputy Minister of Finance Mr. Henry Musaasizi also in attendance. Czech-Ugandan defence and security cooperation was highlighted as well as joint interest to broaden the cooperation into other areas, mainly health and agriculture, which constitute the backbone of the Ugandan economy. Minister Odongo highly appreciated the cooperation with the European Union, including development assistance and human rights dialogue. Deputy Minister Tlapa assured his counterpart that during the Presidency of the European Union in the second half of 2022, the Czech Republic would support a more intensive cooperation of the EU with African countries. To close the meeting and facilitate the implementationof its conclusions, Minister Odongo and Deputy Minister Tlapa signed the agreed minutes of the meeting.

At the meeting with the Czech delegation in the garden of the State House in Kampala, President Yoweri Museveni recalled his visit to Prague in 1968. He highly appreciated the quality of Czech products imported to Uganda and expressed Uganda´s interest to further deepen bilateral cooperation. He explicitly supported the three jointly defined priority areas.

During the discussion with Deputy Minister of Health Ms. Margaret Muhanga Mugisa, Deputy Minister Tlapa offered Czech expertise in strengthening Uganda‘s healthcare system.  Czech companies are well known in Uganda, for instance LINET already exported 300 hospital beds to Uganda and has recently signed a contract to deliver 100 more specialized beds.

During his visit to Kampala, Deputy Minister Tlapa officially opened the Honorary Consulate of the Czech Republic headed by the Honorary Consul Mr. Stephen Kaboyo. The inauguration reception was attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs Odongo as well as by the representatives of other ministries, private sector, central bank and other financial institutions. At the Honorary Consulate located in the center of Kampala, Deputy Minister Tlapa symbolically cut the ribbon and raised the Czech flag.

At the end of the visit to Uganda, the delegation visited the UN Regional Service Center in Entebbe. Its director Paulin Djoma described its main task which is the provision of administrative and technical support including procurement to UN peacekeeping and political missions in Africa. The director of the global procurement presented the procurement system as well as specific ways for Czech companies to offer goods and services to UN entities.

Deputy Minister Martin Tlapa in Uganda, September 2021

Deputy Minister Martin Tlapa in Uganda, September 2021

Deputy Minister Martin Tlapa with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeje Odongo and his delegation

Deputy Minister Martin Tlapa with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeje Odongo and his delegation

Deputy Minister Martin Tlapa with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uganda Jeje Odongo

Deputy Minister Martin Tlapa with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uganda Jeje Odongo

Official opening of the Czech Honorary Consulate in Kampala

Official opening of the Czech Honorary Consulate in Kampala