Outgoing Irish Ambassador says will miss Uganda’s good climate

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The outgoing Ambassador of Ireland to Uganda, William Carlos has said one of the things he will miss most is Uganda’s climate and the people.

Speaking at a farewell ceremony organized for him at State Lodge Nakasero, Carlos who is moving to the Philippines to open Ireland’s new embassy there in the coming months thanked Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni for the cordial working relationship between the two countries.

“I have enjoyed the most beautiful climate of all times. I hope by being here, I opened more doors for Ireland and Uganda. We have a very strong relationship and I hope to build even stronger relations through anything we can do to enhance the voice of Uganda globally,” he said.

Reacting to Museveni’s praise for the good work done by Irish missionaries in Uganda, Carlos said they were the first ambassadors for his country who did great work.

“We have missionaries here doing great work. Most want to stay here and work with their people. They find it difficult to go back to Ireland. They have that strong commitment to their communities in Africa. I hope we can build strong relationships based on our values, politics, and trade. For me, it was the climate, the people, the beauty… Thank you for allowing me to come to this beautiful country,” he said.

For his part, Museveni thanked Carlos for the work well done. “Our relation with Ireland is always good. Thank you so much for your service in Uganda. Ireland has been very supportive in the field of education especially through the missionaries. Sister Cephas raised my girls. I went to see her at her place in Ireland,” Museveni said. Sr Cephas Cormack was headmistress for St Mary’s Secondary School Namagunga for 30 years before retiring to Ireland.

“Thank you so much for your service in Uganda in the areas of health, education and refugee support. I wish you good luck in your next posting,” Museveni added.

In a press release from the Presidential Press Unit, it was noted that the strong relationship between Uganda and Ireland has its basis in the excellent work of Irish missionaries, who have supported frontline service delivery in Uganda for over 100 years, most notably in education and health.

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