Uganda’s new Ambassador Chrispus Kiyonga presented his credentials to Chinese President Xi Jinping, Foreign Affairs revealed.
He presented his credentials to Xi at the Great Hall of the People.
Kiyonga, who was the Minister of Defence till recently, assumed charge as Uganda’s envoy to China last month.
He replaces Charles Wagidoso. Wagidoso arrived in Beijing to assume his duties on 20th April 2006 and presented credentials to the then President of the People’s Republic of China on 10th June 2006. During his over 10 year service in China, Wagidoso also served as the Deputy Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in the People’s Republic of China.
About his replacement, Amb. Chrispus Kiyonga, a senior and experienced person which demonstrated the importance President Museveni and the Government of Uganda attach to the relationship with China noted President Xi Jinping on 13th September 2017.
Uganda-China love affair
President Yoweri Museveni has often praised the Chinese for their culture of non-interference in the affairs of other countries.
Uganda has been steadily turning toward China, which is becoming Uganda’s preferred trade and investment partner. Despite the large amount of humanitarian aid that still comes from the West, predominately the U.S., the pillars of Uganda’s economy are its growing relationship with the East.
Chinese investment in Uganda is significant. In September 2013 China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) for $2 billion won the right to develop Uganda’s Kingfisher field, which holds an estimated 196 million barrels of recoverable oil. The Chinese have also invested $3.7 billion in infrastructure to link Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya with a rail line for export through Mombasa. China is also financing 85 percent of two hydroelectric projects in Uganda, worth $1.4 billion and $556 billion respectively. Construction work for both have been awarded to Chinese companies.
Unlike loans and aid from Western institutions like International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank, that come with strings in terms of democratization and good governance, the Chinese strings are purely economic, mainly ensuring contractors are from China.
