Museveni urges Africa to seek homegrown solutions, regional integration

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President Yoweri Museveni has called on African nations to take charge of their development agendas through homegrown solutions and regional integration. 

He said external support, while helpful, is not a guarantee for sustainable progress in Africa.

"The solutions are with us." 

President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe (L) and president Yoweri Museveni (R) arrive for the 11th Session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD-11) at the Speke Resort Convention Centre in Munyonyo, Kampala. (PPU) .

Museveni made the remarks on Wednesday while officiating at the 11th Session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD-11) at the Speke Resort Convention Centre in Munyonyo, Kampala. 

The three-day forum is held under the theme: 'Driving job creation and economic growth through sustainable, inclusive, science and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063.' 

ARFSD is an annual platform convened by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in collaboration with the African Union and host governments. 

At the event, the Ugandan president was in the company of the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni and President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe.

(PPU photo)

Regional integration

In his delivery, Museveni recounted a recent disagreement between Uganda and some Western countries.

“We had an argument with Europeans recently. We passed a law which was discussing homosexuality here. Then the United States removed us from the AGOA list, and they chased us. The World Bank stopped giving us loans, but our economy still grew by 6 per cent.”

According to the President, Uganda’s resilience amid global criticism demonstrates that the country and Africa at large can achieve progress even in the absence of external aid. 

“What’s crucial for me, apart from our own mistakes, is regional integration. If we avoid them, we can go far,” said Museveni, adding that Uganda’s economy has developed rapidly, with or without foreign assistance.

Museveni emphasized the importance of guiding wealth creators to choose enterprises that make economic sense relative to their land size. 

“Those with large landholdings can engage in extensive agriculture, while those with small plots can engage in high-value, intensive farming. 

"Suitable enterprises include coffee, fruits, dairy, piggery, poultry, fish farming, and food crop cultivation. Recently, communities have also adopted cocoa and palm oil farming,” he said. 

Delegates at the 11th Session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD-11) at the Speke Resort Convention Centre in Munyonyo, Kampala. (PPU photo)

Using intensive agriculture, a single acre can generate employment for up to 15 people. 

“Uganda has 40 million acres suitable for agriculture. If we use only seven million of these acres, 105 million jobs will be created. This is more jobs than the entire population of Uganda, which stands at 46 million,” said Museveni.

Uganda’s economic growth is driven mainly by agriculture, industry and artisanship, services, and ICT. 

Currently, agriculture employs 3.6 million people, industry 1.4 million, services 5 million, and ICT over 46,000 people.

For these sectors to grow and drive transformation, the Ugandan leader said there is need for low-cost transport solutions such as rail and water transport, affordable electricity, access to credit, elimination of raw material exports, and an educated, healthy workforce. 

He said the barriers described in government planning documents as strategic bottlenecks must be addressed to unlock Africa’s full economic potential.

Museveni's warning is: mere quantitative growth is insufficient, thus sustainable growth without transformation is a recipe for perpetual underdevelopment.

'We must show solidarity'

(PPU photo)

Robert Keith Rae is Canada’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

He stressed the central role Africa plays in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

Rae acknowledged that while progress towards the SDGs is being made, the path forward remains challenging, and emphasized the importance of continued collective effort to overcome these obstacles. 

“We must recognize that the climate crisis is real. Climate change is not an ideology; it’s science. We must confront these facts and work together to help countries adapt and thrive,” he said.

As the president of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Rae expressed Canada's commitment to supporting African nations in their efforts to tackle these critical challenges, including the negative impact of trade barriers. 

“The rhetoric and unnecessary attacks on global trade have had disastrous outcomes on global growth,” he said, urging countries to come together in solidarity.

Rae told the delegates that Africa’s struggles are not isolated.

“Your struggle is not only your struggle; it is the struggle of everyone. We must show solidarity with one another as we work towards economic and social justice.

The Canadian envoy called for collective action to ensure access to education for all children, especially girls, and to bridge the prosperity gap that still exists.

He highlighted the importance of financing growth and learning from countries that have successfully achieved SDGs. 

“We must look at those nations that have succeeded and learn from their experiences."

Delegates at the 11th Session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD-11) at the Speke Resort Convention Centre in Munyonyo, Kampala. (PPU)

'Women are drivers of development'

Amina Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, urged African leaders and stakeholders to confront the hard truths surrounding development financing and to adopt courageous, homegrown solutions to accelerate progress on the SDGs.

She acknowledged the persistent financing gaps hindering Africa’s development, noting that the annual shortfall in resources required to achieve the SDGs remains a significant challenge.

“More than 60 per cent of African countries are spending a substantial portion of their revenues on debt servicing. This reality cannot be ignored. But these figures do not define us,” said Mohammed. 

She praised the resilience and leadership of women across the continent, saying that women are at the forefront of change, breaking barriers and addressing long-standing inequalities.

The Deputy UN chief also emphasized the urgency of addressing gender-based violence and protecting the rights of women and girls.

“Limiting violence against women and girls must be a top priority. Women are not just beneficiaries of development; they are drivers of it.”

Delegates at the 11th Session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD-11) at the Speke Resort Convention Centre in Munyonyo, Kampala. (PPU)

African youth an asset

On his part, Claver Gatete, the executive secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), applauded Uganda’s development efforts.

"I also commend President Museveni for his continued support towards Africa’s transformation agenda,” he said.

Gatete expressed gratitude to the people of Uganda for their resilience and progress on the development journey.

Out of the 144 measurable SDG targets, progress remains slow. With this in mind, Gatete called for bold implementation strategies aligned with the 2040 Agenda.

He stressed the importance of gender equality, highlighting that women hold only 26 per cent of parliamentary positions across the continent, an imbalance that must be addressed urgently.

The UNECA executive secretary also noted Africa’s youthful population as a significant asset, urging increased investment in vocational training and skills development to tap into this demographic dividend.

To meet SDG targets, Gatete outlined four strategic pillars, namely;

▪️ Curtailing illicit financial flow

▪️ Releasing domestic capital

▪️ Expanding access to finance, especially for women and youth 

▪️ Harnessing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)