Kampala, Uganda | By Michael Wandati | The Chinese Ambassador to Uganda, Zhang Lizhong, has announced that China will contribute up to $5 million (approximately Shs 18.5 billion) for the expansion and renovation of the China-Uganda Friendship Hospital Naguru.
During a meeting with editors from various media outlets at the Chinese Embassy in Kampala, Ambassador Lizhong highlighted that this financial commitment is a direct outcome of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). He emphasized that China has played a crucial role in supporting Uganda’s efforts to address challenges in the health sector.
“China offered emergency medical aid by providing batches of anti-malaria drugs and COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic to help Uganda contain the outbreak of diseases and eliminate some tropical diseases. Currently, China dispatches medical teams to Uganda every year.
They are working together with Ugandan doctors in China-Uganda Friendship Hospital, to perform thousands of surgeries and outpatient consultations. They also go to the countryside and the schools to offer free medical services,” Lizhong said.
The Chinese Ambassador to Uganda, Zhang Lizhong, noted that Chinese investors and state-owned companies have made significant investments across various sectors of the Ugandan economy. These investments have not only supported the country’s socio-economic transformation but have also created thousands of jobs.
In recent years, Chinese enterprises have actively engaged in the Belt and Road Initiative, yielding positive outcomes and contributing to Uganda’s economic and social development. Several vibrant industrial parks have been established, providing numerous job opportunities for local youth and offering affordable products to communities.
In the infrastructure sector, Chinese companies have completed several landmark projects, with the Kampala-Entebbe Expressway being a prime example of their contributions.
“This is the first expressway collecting tolls in Uganda, financed by a Chinese bank and constructed by a Chinese company. It has good economic results, bringing over $1 million in income per month and promoting the mobility of personnel,” Lizhong said.
Ambassador Zhang Lizhong also mentioned that China has opened its market to Ugandan agricultural products, allowing many of them to be exported without tariffs. He urged Ugandan companies to seize this opportunity and explore the vast potential of the Chinese market.
“Expanding export of Ugandan agro-products to China is beneficial to both nations. China is committed to opening its market wider. By the end of 2023, trade volume between Uganda and China grew to $1.3 billion, of which Uganda’s exports to China increased by 19.6 per cent.
During the week-long China International Import Expo last November, Ugandan companies signed deals to supply the Chinese market with over 30 tons of roasted coffee and another 29 containers of green coffee beans. China and Uganda have already signed exchange notes that 98 per cent of Ugandan products under tariff codes are duty-free when exported to China. We hope the Ugandan side will make the most use of the agreement and achieve its export goals,” Lizhong said.
Ambassador Zhang Lizhong highlighted the upcoming Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), scheduled to be held in China from September 4-6, under the theme, “Joining Hands to Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future.” He noted that the forum has already delivered numerous tangible benefits to many African nations.
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“Since its establishment [2000], the FOCAC has been dedicated to achieving common prosperity and sustainable development for the people of China and Africa. Adhering to the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, it has evolved into a crucial platform for collective dialogue and an effective mechanism for practical cooperation… China and Africa have been assisting each other on the path to economic development and national rejuvenation, continuously expanding cooperation into new areas,” Lizhong said.
Ambassador Zhang Lizhong emphasized that, unlike other international development partners, China’s interventions are tailored to the specific needs of the host country and are not imposed. When questioned about China’s stance on human rights issues in Uganda, Lizhong clarified that it is China’s policy to avoid interfering in the internal affairs of other nations.
“We don’t interfere in the internal affairs of any country in the name of human rights. I know Uganda can protect the human rights of its people and we don’t have to get involved,” Lizhong said.
