China gives Uganda $77M aid to boost development

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-01-14 08:51

ENTEBBE, Uganda -- The Chinese government has offered US$77 million to Uganda in a renewed bid to boost the East African country's development, the visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi revealed after signing aid agreements here on Tuesday.

The low interest aid package signed between the two governments included a framework agreement on provision of a concessional loan for the construction of e-governance project worth US$60 million and procurement of engineering equipment for Kampala City Council worth ten million dollars.

The other package is a seven million dollar economic and technical cooperation agreement on the construction of a hospital and government offices.

Yang, who is currently on a two day official visit to Uganda, the first leg of his seven nation tour to the continent and Brazil, said China will not cut its aid pledges to Africa despite the global economic downturn and appealed to the developed countries to do the same.

"China as a firm friend of Uganda and Africa will by no means cut our aid to Uganda and Africa, on the contrary we will exert even greater effort to help our African and Ugandan brothers and sisters," he said.

Sam Kutesa, Uganda's minister of foreign affairs hailed China's support and pledged that Uganda will closely work with the Asian country both at the UN Security Council and other international fora to deal with both regional and international issues.