Ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputy from Rize and chairman of the Turkey-Uganda Interparliamentary Friendship Group Ali Bayramoğlu has stated that Turkish and Ugandan businessmen are now ready to cooperate in three main fields and that the fourth is coming soon.
Bayramoğlu, former chairman of the Independent Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association (MÜSİAD), recently attended the first meeting of the Turkish-Ugandan Joint Economic Commission organized as part of the Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists (TUSKON) Turkey-Uganda Business Forum in Kampala. Aboard his return plane to Ankara, together with Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç, Bayramoğlu informed Sunday’s Zaman about the level of business cooperation between Turkey and Uganda.
Noting that business activities are ready to be launched in three main fields between the two countries, he said Turkish and Ugandan officials have also been working to cooperate in a fourth. When asked about these areas, Bayramoğlu said the priorities are textiles and food, followed by the construction sector. “And our colleagues are still working on cooperation in the field of energy,” he said.
Bayramoğlu added that agriculture and stockbreeding are two more areas the countries may cooperate in. “There are Turkish businessmen experienced in these fields who can make investments here, and Uganda needs these investments as well. There may be business cooperation in related sectors, such as the areas of meat and leather.
He adds that tourism and health are two other sectors where Turkish and Ugandan businessmen can establish contact. Stating that there are only two big hospitals in the capital city of Kampala, he says, as a country that has carried out many health reforms, Turkey can share its experience with Uganda with regard to developments in that area.
Noting that the African country has deficiencies in urban infrastructure and environment, Bayramoğlu says Turkey is also ready to cooperate with Uganda on these issues. “We have met with Ugandan Minister for Water and Environment [Maria Mutagamba]. For example, one very important issue for Uganda is the decontamination of Lake Victoria. This is a huge project, and I told the minister that it could take 50 years. But we are still working on it,” he said.
Stating that municipal services in the African country also need support, Bayramoğlu recalled that there will be general and local elections in February and he thinks municipal services would improve further if a compromise between local governors and municipalities could be reached following the elections.
Referring to an earlier comment by Arınç, who said Uganda is Turkey’s main partner in Africa, Bayramoğlu agreed that, as a country neighboring impoverished African countries, Uganda is Turkey’s leading partner in Africa.
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