Aga Khan lauded for attracting investors
Mr Mahmood Hussein Ahmed, the Aga Khan Development Network resident representative, chats with Mr Kirunda Kivejinja, the former deputy Prime Minister (C) and his daughter in Kampala on Wednesday. PHOTO BY STEPHEN OTAGE
Kampala- The government has lauded His Highness the Aga Khan’s Development Network (AKDN) for playing an instrumental role in attracting investors in Uganda.
Speaking on Wednesday during the 56th anniversary to mark the Imamat Day, state minister for Foreign Affairs Henry Okello Oryem said the fact that the Aga Khan established a diplomatic office in Uganda, was testimony to his long-term commitment to the development of Uganda.
His Highness the Aga Khan is the chairman of the AKDN.
He became the Imam (Spiritual leader) of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims in July 1957 at the age of 20, riding on the footsteps of his grandfather Sir Sultan Mohamed Shah.
Contribution
Mr Oryem observed that the most important dimension of AKDN’s work in Uganda is the impact of development outputs in hydro-electricity, tourism, aviation, health, education and rural development, which are all reflections of His Highness’s confidence on remarkable talents and resilience of Ugandans.
He noted that last month, the AKDN launched an East Africa-wide initiative, with support from the Canadian government, to strengthen education systems in particularly vulnerable areas.
In the initiative, 165,000 primary students and 4,000 pre-primary students are beneficiaries.
Activities
AKDN and its institutional predecessors have been working in Uganda for more than 50 years. AKDN’s activities in the country now extend from infrastructure development that is bringing electricity to the West Nile region, to an early childhood education programme that assists poor communities create and maintain pre-schools. Its activities also include an economic development project that manufactures essential pharmaceuticals to an advanced nursing studies programme.
