14/06/2002

USAID Hosts Museveni, Chissano

PRESIDENTS Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Joachim Chisano of Mozambique and John Kufuor of Ghana were on Tuesday hosted to a partnership breakfast with the USAID administrator, Andrew Natsios, at Excelsior Hotel in Rome.

The three African heads of state and Natsios discussed possible ways of working in partnership to reduce hunger and poverty in Africa, a statement from State House said.

It said the three presidents called for increased agricultural productivity in Africa to fight the ravages.

At a press conference after the meeting, Museveni stressed the importance of working together in the campaign against poverty.

He said stronger emphasis should be laid on securing bigger markets and export of value-added products.

Kufour said his country was working on infrastructure, human resource, developing the private sector and good governance as a way of combating poverty.

In a related development, Museveni was hosted to a dinner by the St. Egidio Community at Transtevere in Rome.

The community is known for its fight against persecution of Christians worldwide. It played a leading role in bringing together Chissano's government and former RENAMO fighters.

Museveni was received at the community by its leader, Prof. Andrea Riccardi.

At the dinner were agriculture minister Kisamba Mugerwa, Uganda's ambassador to the Vatican Vincent Kirabo Kya Maria and Uganda's team to the Rome WFP summit.

Hamis Kaheru