President Museveni today received a high-level delegation from the Nippon Foundation at State House Entebbe, marking a new milestone in Uganda-Japan cooperation.
The delegation was led by Mr. Isao Iijima, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister of Japan, and Mr. Takeju Ogata, Chairman of the Nippon Foundation. They are in Uganda to commemorate the launch of a new Rehabilitation Center for veterans in Mubende District, funded by the Foundation.
The Nippon Foundation contributed USD 500,000 towards the construction of the center and the provision of equipment to support soldiers who lost their limbs in combat.
Mr. Ogata highlighted that the foundation has worked in Uganda for more than 40 years, particularly in agriculture and social development, and pledged continued support to strengthen the country's resilience in the face of climate change and other pressing challenges.
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President Museveni commended the Government of Japan for its longstanding partnership with Uganda, pointing to major projects such as the Nile Bridge and significant contributions in the road sector. He further lauded Mr. Iijima's efforts in mobilizing donations, including 2,000 sewing machines for veterans and women's groups, as well as fire trucks, ambulances, physiotherapy equipment, and prosthetic materials.
The President appealed to Japan to expand bilateral trade and open its markets to Ugandan products.
"What we need most is for Japan to buy our products. We would like to trade with you, and we also wish that Japan removes taxes from our exports," Museveni said.
The Rehabilitation Center project is being implemented with support from the Government of Japan and the Nippon Foundation, reinforcing Japan's role as a key development partner in Uganda.
