Cementing Ties

Uganda’s chairing of G77+China to heighten relationship with China

For the past six decades, Uganda and China have enjoyed remarkable bilateral relations and Uganda being recently elected to chair G77+China mechanism is set to drive the relationship to even greater heights. That’s according to Uganda’s First Deputy Prime Minister Rebecca Kadaga, who made the remarks recently while speaking at an event to mark the 74th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

In response, the charge d’affaires at the Chinese Embassy in Uganda, Fan Xuecheng, toasted the long-standing friendship between the peoples of China and Uganda.

He said that China and Uganda have forged an unbreakable fraternity through mutual support for each other’s struggle against imperialism and colonialism.

Uganda was elected to be the pro tempore (temporary) presidency of G77+China (Group of 77+China) at the UN in New York on 22 September. The group was founded on 15 June 1964 by 77 developing nations.

Optimism in Uganda

Ugandans, both the public and government officials, are optimistic about the country being elected to chair G77+China, while the local Chinese community in the country also welcomed the move.

A Chinese businessman in Uganda’s capital Kampala, Wang Li, said, ‘‘It is good for Uganda to chair the mechanism because that will further cement its relationship with China.”

Steven Okello, a local Ugandan politician, said that many Ugandans nowadays travel to China for business and he believes that as Uganda chairs the G77+China, they will go in bigger numbers.

According to Uganda’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Adonia Ayebare, the election was held during the working session of the 47th Meeting of Foreign Affairs Ministers under the presidency of Cuba.

In a media interview, while speaking about Uganda being elected to chair G77+China, Ayebare said, “Uganda will play a key role in the decision-making