Gandhinagar, 19 March 2013

A 16-member high-level delegation of Uganda led by their Vice-President Mr. Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi, on a visit to Gujarat, called on Chief Minister Mr. Narendra Modi here today. They had a detailed and fruitful discussion on a wide range of topics for strengthening vibrant relations.

Other members of the delegation included Agriculture Minister Mr. Buchanayandi, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mr. Henry Okello Oryem, Minister of State for Finance and Planning Mr. Jacan Omach Frad and Uganda National Chamber of Commerce President Ms. Olive Kigong. They are accompanied by Ugandan High Commissioner Ms. Nimisha Madhvani.

Mr. Ssekandi congratulated Mr. Modi for his successive victory in Vidhan Sabha elections and development of Gujarat. Mr. Modi also recalled Uganda’s decades’ old vibrant relation with Gujarat with scope for developing further the relation

They discussed the possibility of Gujarat’s cooperation with Uganda in the field of small manufacturing industries, agriculture, micro irrigation, water management, canal network, oil and gas exploration and medical healthcare in which Gujarat had made significant progress.

Mr. Modi extended invite to progressive farmers and agricultural scientists of Uganda to attend the forthcoming annual month-long statewide Krishi Mahotsav in May, and also study Gujarat’s achievements in soil health card, lab2land programme and micro irrigation.

Mr. Modi is keen to send two technical experts teams on agro business and agricultural equipment manufacturing, besides one fertilizer, to set up such units in Uganda. Similarly, he said, Ugandan students can pursue studies in the field of gas and energy management, human resource management, even as GSPC is keen to explore oil and gas exploration and production in Uganda.

Others present on the occasion included Chief Secretary Varesh Sinha, Principal Industries Secretary Mahehwar Sahu, Chief Minister’s Principal Secretary G.C. Murmu and iNDEXTb Managing Director Mukesh Kumar.