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Speaker of Parliament Anita Among has met a delegation of Members of Parliament from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with regional security and commerce top on the agenda.
Security, said Speaker Among, is critical in enabling integration and growing the trade portfolio between the two countries, which is currently undermined by incessant terrorist activity in Eastern DRC.
“We are very eager to increase and improve cross-border trade; ensure there is peace and security in the two countries, and you cannot do business when you don’t have peace,” she said.
With focus on parliamentary diplomacy, Speaker Among said MPs between the two countries should be the anchors and guarantors of peace and prosperity for their peoples.
“The meeting will deliberate upon legislative cooperation especially between the DRC and Uganda; we can be able to benchmark and mutually learn best practices from one another; it is between you and me who are representatives of the people to ensure they have peace and can go about their businesses without hindrance,” she said.
The head of DRC delegation, Hon Lambert Mende, expressed confidence in the strong bilateral relations between the two countries, saying Parliament should be the focal point for bolstering cooperation.
“The purpose of this meeting is to strengthen the relations between DRC and Uganda, and we should form a DRC – Uganda friendship group to foster peace, cooperation and good neighbourliness,” he said.
The unending conflict in the largest East African country, said Hon Mende, requires urgent attention, as it “imposes a severe hardship on the communities living in the neighbourhood.”
The Minister of State for Sports, Hon Peter Ogwang, Clerk to Parliament Hon Adolf Mwesige, was in attendance.