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China offers Uganda Shs109b grant to modernise customs
The One Stop Border point at Malaba. The Chinese government has pledged to finance border infrastructure improvement, among other areas. FILE PHOTO
What you need to know:
- The money will support Uganda Revenue Authority to acquire latest technology.
- The Joint Commission on Trade, Economic, Investment and Technical Cooperation is a bilateral mechanism that meets regularly to review implementation of agreed decisions and prioritise areas that promote trade and economic cooperation.
BEJING. The Chinese government has agreed to support a customs modernisation project in Uganda with a grant worth $30m (Shs109.3b).
The grant agreement was signed in Beijing last week by Uganda’s Finance minister Matia Kasaija and Dr Qian Keming, the vice minister of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China.
To witness the signing were Uganda’s Ambassador to China Chrispus Kiyonga, Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) commissioner for customs Dicksons Kateshumbwa and other senior government officials.
The grant agreement was signed on the margins of the 2nd session of the Joint Commission on Trade, Economic, Investment and Technical Cooperation.
Dr Qian Keming said the grant demonstrates the value China attaches to the relationship with Uganda.
The grant will support URA’s capacity to acquire latest technologies in the form of non-intrusive scanners, modernised customs risk management, and supervision and communication systems.
It will also help in customs service and enforcement support, border infrastructure improvement, among others.
Controlling revenue losses
On his part, Mr Kasaija extended appreciation to the Chinese government and observed that the grant will support Uganda to mitigate revenue losses as well as facilitate trade and border management.
During the bilateral meeting, both sides reviewed the status of economic cooperation in the areas of trade, investment, infrastructure and development cooperation.
The meeting agreed on strategies to support Uganda’s competitive products access the market in China, promote the country’s touristic attractions as well as boosting investment and industrial capacity.
