President Museveni while meeting the Serbian National Assembly President, Dr. Vladimir Orlić, highlighted on Uganda’s success in some sectors and how determined the country is to cover the whole spectrum starting with coffee.
“We want the fair-minded outsiders to work with us to add value to our coffee at source, so that instead of getting only USD2.5 per kg of good coffee, we share more out of the USD40 per kg of the processed coffee,” President Museveni said.
He added, “This is where the Serbians and other fair-minded people, need to join Uganda by doing two things: Co-invest with us or invest alone in coffee roasting, grinding and packaging in Uganda, and the Serbian Government should remove the 25% tax on processed coffee and so should the other Governments of Europe, Asia and the USA. It is high time, the pockets or wallets of USA, Europe, China, Japan, etc, to also support our prosperity.”
Orlić, welcomed President Museveni as a great friend of Serbia, and assessed their friendship as significant for the further improvement of bilateral relations, which 2023, marks six decades of establishment.
Dr. Orlić further expressed his gratitude to Uganda for supporting the candidacy of the Republic of Serbia as the host of Expo 2027, as well as the satisfaction of the opening of Uganda Trade Hub “Uganda Connect” in Belgrade.
He also noted that Serbia will send a team of scientists to Uganda to identify the possible areas of cooperation between the two countries.
“Serbia remains truly committed to the further development of relations and cooperation with all African countries, which includes Uganda, to which we are bound by traditional closeness, mutual understanding and the same aspirations,” Dr. Orlić noted.
The meeting was also attended by Dragan Županjevac, the Ambassador of Serbia to Uganda, the President of the Parliamentary Friendship Group with Uganda, Sanja Lakić, and MPs.
The Ugandan delegation included among others; Harriet Ntabazi, the Minister of State for Trade, and Rwamirama Bright Kanyontore, the Minister of State for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries.
The occasion has been the last official meeting of President Museveni in Serbia as he concludes his visit in the European country on Monday, July 31, 2023.
