Museveni to toughen on human trafficking

President Yoweri Museveni’s visit to the United Arab Emirates UAE could help address the rampant human trafficking among girls.

President Museveni officiated at the opening ceremony of the Uganda National Day during the World Trade Expo in Dubai, UAE.

The President, in his experience about the World Trade Expo, noted: “My message to the world was that Uganda is ripe for investment, ready for profit-driven business, and the time is right NOW.”

Museveni took time off his visit to engage Ugandans living and working in the Arab country.

He, however, vowed to deal with the vice of human traffic among young girls and the working conditions. According to the Trafficking in Persons Report from 2020, estimates determined that traffickers are currently exploiting 7,000 to 12,000 children through sex trafficking in Uganda.

The report also outlines how human trafficking in Uganda primarily takes the form of forced physical labour and sexual exploitation.

Museveni revealed: “I met and held discussions with Ugandans living in the UAE through their respective leaders from the Association of Ugandans living in the United Arab Emirates (AUU). We talked about issues like; Human trafficking especially for our girls and working conditions.”

On the issue of girls who get stranded in the country when they lose their jobs, the President said: “The government will henceforth put in place a shelter where girls can be kept when they get problems in UAE and the Middle East and also strengthen the laws on the movement of people outside the country to eliminate trafficking.”

The President in his three day stay at the UAE met some leaders to woo potential investors to tap in the abundant opportunities in steel and agriculture in Uganda.

Museveni revealed: “Before leaving UAE, I held a brief meeting with H.E Sheikh Shakhbout bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and reiterated my call for investment in Uganda mainly in the sectors of steel production, fertilizers, energy, and Agro-processing.”

The President then departed the United Arab Emirates for Addis Ababa where he will attend the swearing-in ceremony of Abiy Ahmed Ali, the Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.

Abiy Ahmed Ali, 45, is an Ethiopian politician who has been the 4th Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia since 2 April 2018.

He was the third chairman of the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front that ruled for 28 years and the first Oromo in that position.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADZPpD4MOJE