Museveni in France for security summit
President Museveni delivers a lecture in Abuja, Nigeria on Wednesday. Photo by PPU
Kampala- President Museveni yesterday flew to Paris for a security summit, opening today, and in which French President and host, François Hollande, expects Africa’s 54 leaders to hammer out comprehensive solutions to the continent’s teething insecurity challenges.
Mr Museveni took the trip from Nigeria where he told leaders of the populous West African country that Africa’s main problems are ideological disorientation, a suffocated private sector, under-developed infrastructure; and half-baked human resource.
“In the case of countries such as Nigeria and Uganda, it is unforgivable to have people mismanaging our human resources by using sectarianism of religion, tribe or gender chauvinism,” he said. “This is mishandling the most durable form of wealthy for our countries.
In Paris today, Mr Museveni will confer with peers at the Elysee Palace --- France’s version of State House --- on mitigating the tormenting effects of climatic change and explore ways to breathe new air into countries’ economies for rapid development.
The three-day summit, deputy presidential press secretary Lindah Nabusayi noted, is expected to discuss “challenges of collective security in Africa and seek to develop a comprehensive approach, defined by Africans with the support of their partners.”
“It will also discuss climate change and economic and development partnership,” she said in a statement yesterday.
The Paris meeting comes against the backdrop of disquiet among regional neighbours in the conflict-prone Great Lakes region, and ongoing mass killings in the Central African Republic that the United Nations worries could explode into a full-blown genocide.
The UN authorised France to strengthen its military presence in CAR, but as a backup to an expected African Union intervention force yet to attract required troop numbers.
Uganda’s success against al-Shabaab in Somalia will be a timely shot in Mr Museveni’s arm as he contributes to the debate of how Africa should insure its future – his pep talk.
US Special envoy for the Great Lakes Region and the DR Congo Russell Feingold is expected at the summit after a visit to Rwanda for discussions on implementation of the peace, security, and cooperation framework.
