Ankara , Turkey| THE INDEPENDENT | Uganda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Gen. Jeje Odongo has urged the international community to support conflict prevention initiatives undertaken by the regional and sub-regional organizations and called for the reform of the UN Security Council to ensure it is fit-for purpose.
Odongo is attending the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF) held 1-3 March 2024 in Turkey where he represented President Yoweri Museveni.
“Global peace can only be achieved if there is willingness to work together to understand the root causes and address the drivers of conflict,” Minister Odongo observed in the high level discussions.
In advocating for stronger international cooperation, he underscored the importance of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) as a strong pillar in addressing the global challenges. He stressed that Uganda as the Chair of NAM will collectively work with other member countries to promote solidarity and multilateralism in an effort to further strengthen the critical role that the Movement plays within the United Nations.
The ADF is a high-level platform for discussions on wide range of international issues. This year’s edition was held under the theme “Advancing Diplomacy in Times of Turmoil.”
On the margins of the ADF, Minister Odongo met Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey.
Odongo lauded the fraternal relations that exist between the two countries and expressed appreciation to Turkey for the assistance extended in terms of infrastructural development, education cooperation through scholarships, foreign direct investment among other areas of cooperation.
The Turkish Minister congratulated Uganda on the successful hosting of the NAM and G77/China Summits recently held in Kampala. They agreed to expedite the conclusion of outstanding investment promotion agreements and on the need to convene the next meeting of the Turkey-Uganda Joint Economic Commission.
Odongo, accompanied by the Uganda’s Head of Mission in TürkiyeNusura Tiperu also met representatives of several Turkish enterprises and invited them to invest in the different priority sectors of Uganda’s economy.