Mali’s President Keita hails Museveni as Ocheger lands in Mali
Bamako, Mali | THE INDEPENDENT | Mali’s President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has hailed his Ugandan counterpart, President Yoweri Museveni as a true Pan Africanist committed to the development and integration of the African continent.
Keita made the remarks after receiving the letters of credence accrediting Nelson Ocheger as Ambassador Extra- Ordinary and Plenipotentiary of Uganda to Mali.
The ceremony took place on March 5, 2018 at the Malian Capital, Bamako, two days after Ocheger had also presented his credentials as High Commissioner designate to Nigeria. Ocheger is in charge of West African countries Nigeria, Togo, Benin, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Gambia, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Conakry, Senegal, Cote D’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Equatorial Guinea.
President Keita welcomed Ocheger and assured his guest of his government’s commitment to strengthening the cordial bilateral relations which exist between Mali and Uganda.
According to a statement from Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Ocheger conveyed warm greetings and best wishes from President Museveni to his Malian counterpart,and emphasised the need for regular political and diplomatic consultations on all issues of mutual interest including regional and African integration since both countries have a deep desire for an integrated African continent.
The MOFA statement said that Ocheger called for closer cooperation between Mali and Uganda in the defense and security sectors in order to fight terrorism in their respective countries and regions. He added that peace and security were the prerequisites for the socio-economic transformation of the two peoples.
Since the current economic and commercial relations between the two countries remained low, the new Ugandan envoy assured his host of his commitment to scale up cooperation in the areas of investment, trade, tourism, agriculture and transport, the statement said.
Ocheger revealed that since Mali and Uganda both have significant deposits of gold, phosphates, salt and limestone, it is imperative that the two countries share experiences in the exploitation of those minerals and other natural resources.
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President @MBuhari today received Letters of Credence from H.E. Shirley Ho Vicario, Ambassador of the Philippines to Nigeria; H.E. Nelson Ocheger, High Commissioner of Uganda to Nigeria; & H.E. Lim Sim Seng, Non-Resident High Commissioner of Singapore to Nigeria. #AsoVillaToday pic.twitter.com/mxPxsrv3NP
— Presidency Nigeria (@NGRPresident) March 1, 2018