The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Masindi, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | President Yoweri Museveni has said the recent closure of the border by Rwanda will not slow down regional trade but instead lead to a rise in smuggling.
“It is a ‘hiccup’ that will not slow the region down. Even if border is closed, trade will go on, only that it will be through smuggling,” he told 17 military officials from 11 countries including USA, UK, Germany, Netherlands, Germany, Bolivia at Masindi State Lodge.
He was delivering an opportunity lecture Wednesday to visiting military officers from the UK Royal Defence College United Kingdom team led by Rear Admiral Ross Albon. Museveni is currently touring Bunyoro.
“You can’t stop trade through border administration. People resort to smuggling. Others have resorted to export a lot of things to South Sudan, DR Congo, Kenya Tanzania.”
“Market integration of Africa and political integration for strategic security will stimulate the continents prosperity and rapid economic transformation for the continent,” he added.
President Museveni also discussed Uganda’s policy on refugees in the region, progress on regional integration and also shared thoughts on regional security and the economy.
“Africa is on course to correct many of the problems that have dogged it over the last 500 years. Our leaders started with the quest for independence, correcting problems we inherited from the colonial era such as tribal/religious chauvinism that characterised our politics,” he said.
