Uganda: Museveni and Bush Discuss Trade, HIV at Meeting

30 October 2007
allAfrica.com

Washington, DC — President George W. Bush on Tuesday welcomed Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to the White House, where the two heads of state discussed a variety of issues, including trade, HIV/Aids and malaria.

"I am very proud that the United States taxpayer has supported this president in his efforts to deal with HIV/AIDS," Bush said at the press briefing in the Oval Office. Bush said that the United States will continue to support Uganda's fight against HIV/Aids and malaria.

Museveni emphasized the importance of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), which seeks to stimulate economic growth in Africa by providing preferences for the entry of certain goods into the United States. "We are very, very pleased with President Bush for sustaining this Agoa arrangement, which has helped our economies," Museveni said.

The Ugandan leader also thanked Bush for the Millennium Challenge Corporation, which recently agreed to provide Uganda $10 million MCC for a program aimed at reducing corruption and improving governance.

Bush and Museveni also discussed the current situation in Sudan's worn-torn region of Darfur. Bush told the press briefing that he spoke with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday about Darfur, emphasizing the need for "pressure on respective parties to come up with an agreement that will help end the genocide." Bush said he urged the United Nations "to get moving those troops into the Darfur region as soon as possible."

The two leaders did not mention the Ugandan government's current negotiations with the rebel Lord's Resistance Army during the press briefing. Bush was expected to convey U.S. desire to ensure that the talks bring a lasting peace to northern Uganda. They also barely mentioned Somalia - where Uganda currently has soldiers stationed with the African Union Peace Keeping force - despite expectations that they would discuss recent events in the turbulent country.

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