The business community in the world have a central role to play in peace and unity of nations. This is according to President Yoweri Museveni, who has urged businesspeople to take the mantle and steer the continent’s unification processes.
Uganda’s President, together with his Somalia counterpart Hassam Sheik Mohamud, last Tuesday addressed a gathering of the business community from Uganda and Somalia in Kampala during the Uganda-Somalia investment and business summit at Speke Resort Munyonyo.
Mr Museveni, a Pan Africanist, stated that historically businesspeople have played a vital role in developing the West. He explained that for peace and unity to reign, countries need to reject sectarianism. “You are the most ‘useful’ group both economically and politically. Businesspeople know the importance of a market; hence they cannot partake in discussions of sectarianism and the general politics of identity. They are pro-market integration,” the President said.
“Businesspeople sparked the unification of Germany because they wanted a united market, they supported Bismarck to unite Germany via the famous Franco-Prussian war. Businesspeople therefore in Somalia and Uganda can help in uniting both our countries and Africa,” Mr Museveni stated.
Earlier, Mr Museveni held a meeting with his counterpart upon the latter’s arrival for a State visit. On his Twitter page, the President stated that the two leaders had held “serious” discussions, reiterating his government’s commitment to the Somalian government in fighting terrorism. “I reiterated our commitment to fighting the shallow-minded terrorists and external players, whose narrow-minded approaches are bent on frustrating the progress of business, peace and development of African states and their neighbours,” President Museveni stated, adding that his country would support Somalia’s bid to join the East African Community, since they fulfil all the requirements.
Somalia last month resubmitted its application to join the East Africa Community, days after DRC Congo was fully admitted to the regional trade bloc.
President Mohamud, while in Arusha to attend the 22nd Ordinary East Africa Community Heads of State Summit, pushed his fellow leaders to review the inclusion bid that started a decade ago.
Mohamud had initiated the bid during his first term between 2012 and 2017 together with DRC but members declined due to war and disorder in the horn of Africa nation.
In Arusha, Mohamud said his country was ready to join the EAC, and they are no longer a liability to the bloc. “Somalia is stable. We want to join EAC. Our people are everywhere in the region,” said Mohamud.
The admission of the DRC grew the bloc’s market potential due to its 90 million plus population and the inclusion of Somalia will further bolster the community’s population size by a further 17 million. Somalia’s admission will push the EAC’s combined GDP above Sh30 trillion, from the current Sh29 trillion.
The current EAC partner states are Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and DR Congo.
During the visit of President Mohamud in Kampala, Mr Museveni thanked the Preident and his government for “demystifying the lies of the Al-Shabaab terrorist group and for tirelessly working to isolate and decisively defeat them, in order to ensure total peace for Somalia.”
