The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Odongo Jeje Abubakhar, today met H.E Zhang Lizhong, the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The meeting focused on issues of economic cooperation and multilateral matters. Ambassador Lizhong took the opportunity to inform the Hon. Minister that the 9th Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) will take place in Beijing from 3 rd to 8 th September 2024. Amb. Lizhong also formally handed over the formal invitation letter from H.E. Xi Xingping President of the People’s Republic of China to H.E. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to attend the 9 th FOCAC.
The Summit will feature four (4) simultaneous high level meetings on different themes, co-chaired by China and African leaders, a press conference by Foreign Ministers and the China – Africa Entrepreneurs Conference”, said Amb. Lizhong.
He further clarified that the Entrepreneurs Conference will be akin to a business forum. The Ambassador also took the opportunity to announce that the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) has extended an invitation to Uganda to attend the High Level meeting on Shared Development, from 7 th – 11 th July 2024, in Beijing.
Hon. Odongo thanked the Ambassador for the invitations, assuring him of Uganda’s continued interest in keeping open lines of engagement based on a long history of cordial relations with the People’s Republic of China. The meeting was attended by Amb. Phillip Odida, Director for Regional and International Political Affairs, senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and officials from the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China.
