Gen. Salim Saleh Hosts Gabonese President in Gulu

By Namutebi Sumayiya

The Chief Coordinator of Operation Wealth Creation (OWC), Gen. Caleb Akandwanaho alias Gen. Salim Saleh on Friday August 2, 2024, hosted the Transitional President of Gabon, H.E Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema in Gulu District.

During the meeting, the two leaders underscored the commitment of Uganda and Gabon to fostering socio-economic development and collaboration, setting the stage for a prosperous future built on mutual cooperation and shared goals.

President Nguema who was accompanied by the First Lady of Gabon, Mrs. Zita Oligui Nguema, expressed his country’s desire to end dependence on food imports and benefit from Uganda’s agricultural development program.

“I wanted to come here and personally visit H.E Museveni within the framework of this visit of work. I am also happy to be here in Gulu, the hometown of Gen. Saleh, who had this great ideology of agriculture which was useful in changing the image of the country,” the President noted.

H.E Nguema emphasised Gabon’s interest in Uganda’s wealth creation initiatives and the importance of regional, continental, and international collaboration.

The Gabonese President also informed Gen. Salim Saleh that he discussed with President Museveni about the need to enhance bilateral cooperation where they agreed on several initiatives aimed at strengthening ties between Gabon and Uganda.

President Nguema further highlighted Gabon’s plans to diversify its economy, reduce unemployment through agricultural development, and foster entrepreneurship among the youth. He emphasised the importance of peace and security in attracting investors.

The Gabonese President also outlined his vision for economic transformation, including agricultural sector recovery, training of senior civil servants, and free education for children. He noted the importance of military efficiency in national development, drawing parallels with Uganda’s Operation Wealth Creation initiative.

“Despite the milestones that my government has so far achieved, I am currently stuck in the area of agriculture and energy. I am very much aware of the idea that when you invest in power in your country, then poverty is reduced. Currently, we have 35% of unemployed youth in my country, and I thought that creating infrastructure could create jobs, but through agriculture, I can create more jobs so that they work and eat from what they have harvested,” he said.

On his part, Gen. Salim Saleh assured President Nguema of Uganda’s commitment to effective bilateral cooperation, highlighting the success of Operation Wealth Creation in helping Ugandans join the money economy.

The Vice Prime Minister of Gabon, Mr. Alexandre Barro Chambrier reiterated the country’s commitment to economic diversification and the need for cooperation with Uganda. He highlighted Gabon’s rich natural resources and the potential for strategic partnerships in agriculture, mining, and industrialization.

“Gabon is the first producer of manganese, and it is a high-value manganese, and other key minerals. We really think that the vision of President Museveni is really fit for purpose; it is suitable for our ambitions. We want economic transformation, processing of our raw materials, and the key signal that our President gave recently is the processing of shares in the oil industry. We want partnerships; we want to be an open country, and we believe that the dimension of cooperation is really important,” he said.

Ambassador Phillip Idro, the Special Advisor- Operation Wealth Creation welcomed President Nguema to Uganda, emphasising the strong partnership in development between the two countries. He highlighted Uganda’s socio-economic transformation and the role of Operation Wealth Creation in mobilising communities for commercial activities.

“The Operation Wealth Creation’s centre of gravity has been the mobilisation of the masses to engage in commercial activities by distributing critical agricultural inputs and animal breeding materials, providing low-cost housing, promoting agricultural modernization, among many others,” he said.

Operation Wealth Creation was launched by H.E the President of the Republic of Uganda in July 2013 as an intervention to efficiently facilitate national socio-economic transformation, with a focus on raising household incomes and wealth creation by transforming subsistence farmers into commercial farmers.

In attendance were the Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Hon. Jacob Oboth-Oboth, the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Hon. Judith Nabakooba, the National Resistance Movement Secretary General, Rt Hon. Richard Todwong, the Minister of Agriculture for Gabon, Mr. Jonathan Ignoumba, and the Gabonese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Régis Ndiaye.