Speaker Oboth Pushes for Lift on Travel Restrictions During BRICS Summit

While attending the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum in New Delhi, Uganda’s Speaker, Jacob Marksons Oboth, engaged in high-level diplomatic discussions with delegations from the United Arab Emirates and China. The summit, held under the theme ‘Fostering Parliaments for people-centric development,’ provided a platform to advocate for key Ugandan economic and diplomatic interests.

During his meeting with H.E. Saqr Ghobash, the Speaker of the Federal National Council of the UAE, Oboth placed the removal of travel restrictions high on the agenda. These restrictions stem from previous Ebola concerns tied to a neighboring country, a situation Uganda successfully shielded its citizens and tourists from. Emphasizing that the UAE remains Uganda’s largest export market, Oboth pressed for a swift resolution following recent diplomatic efforts by Foreign Affairs Minister Adonia Ayebare.

Beyond travel matters, Oboth expressed a desire to diversify trade. He noted that while gold currently dominates exports to the UAE, Uganda wants to see more coffee, fish, fruits, and processed goods entering the Gulf nation, alongside increased local processing investments.

In a separate engagement, Speaker Oboth met with H.E. Zheng Jianbang, the Vice Chairperson of the Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress. Highlighting the deep-rooted ties between Kampala and Beijing, Oboth praised China’s infrastructure contributions, including the Kampala–Entebbe Expressway and major hydropower projects. He pointed to China’s tariff-free market access for African products as a vital opportunity for local farmers and manufacturers to export more coffee, fish, and value-added goods.

Vice Chairperson Zheng welcomed the discussions, acknowledged the importance of parliamentary democracy, and accepted an invitation to visit Uganda while extending a reciprocal invite to Speaker Oboth. The Ugandan delegation accompanying the Speaker included the Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Joel Ssenyonyi, and several other legislators.

Read more about these diplomatic meetings on the Parliament of Uganda Website.