By Naboth Isaac Niwagaba.
apearlnews.com
The Ugandan State Minister of Finance and Economic Planning (General Duties), Henry Musasizi, has asked Spain to support Uganda’s digital infrastructure development.
Musasizi is representing Uganda at the High-Level Ministerial Meeting in Madrid, the capital city of Spain. The meeting also involves participant officials from the African Union and European Union.
Spain is currently the Chair of the European Union.
On the agenda of the meeting are discussions about building a strong African continental free trade area (AFCFCTA), whose aim is to promote intra-trade around the continent.
It also involves deliberations on building a strong African economy that will be able to provide jobs for the young population in Africa and how to leverage the opportunities Spain brings in the areas of investment.
Musasizi, in his presentation yesterday, recognized the support that Spain has already offered to Uganda’s ICT through the Airborne Geophysical Survey and Geological Mapping Project in the Karamoja region. The project aims to carry out airborne geophysical surveys, geological mapping, geochemical sampling, and mineral assessment in Karamoja.
Minister Musasizi explained that Spain’s advancement in telecommunications systems and expertise in ICT development can strengthen Uganda’s partnership with Spain and facilitate the exchange of best practices, capacity building, and investment in Uganda’s ICT sector, leading to improved digital services and economic growth.
He also said that the green industry is an area where Uganda can benefit from Spain’s experience in renewable energy and sustainable practices. He noted that Spain has made significant progress in developing renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power.
He further noted that through partnership, Spain can assist Uganda in adopting sustainable energy solutions, promoting clean technologies, and implementing environmentally friendly practices for sustainable development.
The high-level ministerial meeting in Spain started on December 18 and will come to an end on December 19 under the theme Transformative Investments in Africa: “Unleashing Job Creation Initiatives.”
