‘I will fight for Ugandan coffee’

Uganda and Germany’s compassionate refugee policies have been praised in recent years, but as you recently noted, the Ugandan government cannot afford to take in any more refugees. How do you think this refugee crisis should be handled?

At first sight, there is similarity.  Germany and Uganda have each welcomed a million refugees in a very short time. But the comparison stops there. For you, these are neighbours; they come from the Equatoria region in South Sudan where they even belong to the same ethnic group as the people from West Nile. They walked across the border with their families and cattle, and once peace is established back home, they are likely to walk back. In Germany, the refugees came from far away, from another culture, language and religion. They may have come for the same reasons as your brothers and sisters from South Sudan or eastern DRC. Syrians were escaping from war. But their movement was then joined by fellow travellers from other countries under less pressure of instability and war, or none at all. A sudden wave of economically motivated migration emerged in parallel with the war refugees. That was much more difficult to accept for many German citizens, and brought about some strong reactions, including in our recent general election results. In Uganda, you are welcoming neighbours, expecting their presence to remain temporary. You have been commended for your generosity towards your neighbours in distress. They seek shelter in Uganda because your country is peaceful and stable. But where are the limits to the hospitality you can afford? I am afraid we are close to reaching them. This is why all efforts right now must be on solutions for peace in South Sudan and eastern DRC. I can only renew my appeal to Uganda and her neighbours to assist the South Sudanese in sorting out their issues. The West Nile Region is stressed to its limits, and cannot afford to welcome a second million of refugees from the north. Now is the time for a political solution in South Sudan.

On climate change, Uganda’s carbon contribution is currently negligible but in a few years’ time, it could shoot up with the advent of oil production. How do you think Uganda should go about managing its carbon footprint?

Uganda’s exploitation of her oil reserves has the potential of making the country leap ahead. I am glad to note that there is concern for the environmental side effects that will come with it. You intend to export most of your oil, and that is what the pipeline is for. Its construction needs to be state of the art, and German companies are already working with Total, the project manager, to contribute to the challenge. You will also have an oil refinery close to Lake Albert. Gauff Engineers, a German company well established in Uganda, has been tasked with drafting the master plan for the industrial and environmental development of the Hoima region. I am confident that they will be able to contribute to finding solutions that guarantee both economic viability and maximum protection of the environment. Pollution in Kampala is a growing problem. Much of it is due to the traditional habit of cooking with charcoal. That habit ought to change. German cooperation has developed a simple energy-saving cooking stove which saves trees (by not using any wood) and blows much less carbon into the air. These stoves can be made in Uganda at affordable cost.  These are only some examples among many for the numerous opportunities for Uganda to reduce and control the negative side effects of progress and modernization, and to avoid becoming a carbon-intensive country. Germany is happy to assist in this endeavour.