Govt to set up information centre for Eritreans

Government has pledged to set up an information centre for Eritreans in Uganda to strengthen ties between the two countries and ensure safety of the foreign nationals.

“We have plans to open up an information centre for Eritreans so that in case any of them has a challenge, they have somewhere they can go to for help,” said Presidential Advisor on Diaspora Affairs Abbey Walusimbi.

According to Walusimbi, the centre will have security personnel and information department since “Eritreans are serious investors.”

“We have the highest number of Eritreans in Africa and they have challenges affecting them. This is a place they can go to if they have any challenges with immigration, passports, security, academic certification and getting jobs among other issues that refugees face,” he said during an Eritrean Diaspora Investment Conference at the Office of the President in Kampala on March 2.

Further, Walusimbi opined that improving ties between Kampala and Asmara would attract more investment into Uganda.

 “We want to see that those that have been here for long can get citizenship,” he noted.

Mr Kidane Habteselassie, the Eritrean representative described the Ugandan environment as “very conducive for investment.”

“The centre will help Eritreans interact with officials in other government sectors, flow of information for investors, cultural exchange and security questions with security officers,” Mr Habteselassie told journalists on Thursday.

He added that: “The office is going to be in Kololo which is a great milestone for our Eritrean community.”   

Over the years, Uganda has been applauded for hospitality towards refugees and it hosts about 1.5m of them.

An estimated more than 27,000 Eritreans are living and working in Uganda, according to official government figures.