Leaders of 5 African Countries Arrive in Uganda for Smart DialogueLeaders of five African countries have arrived here to attend the 2001 Global Smart Partnership International Dialogue, scheduled later Saturday at the Speke Resort in Kampala.The leaders included President Joaquim Chissano of Mozambique, Omer al-Bashir of the Sudan, Benjamin Mkapa of Tanzania, Bakili Muluzi of Malawi and Thabo Mbeki of South Africa. Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad of Malaysia, Hage Geingob of Namibia, Sibusiso Dlamini of Swaziland and Bernard Makuza of Rwanda, and Zimbabwean Vice-President Joseph Musika also arrived Saturday afternoon. Kenyan President Daniel arap Moi is expected to arrive here Sunday and Botswana President Festus Mogae will be here on Monday. The heads of state of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Lesotho will not attend the dialogue, but will be represented by high-profile officials. Over 600 participants from 23 countries will attend the four- day business dialogue. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni is the host patron for and advisor to the Global 2001 Dialogue, which will run from August 18 to 21 under the theme "Enhancing the Climate for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) through Smart Partnership". The delegates will also discuss the challenges and bottlenecks of enhancing FDI. The dialogue aims to bring together government and private sectors to enhance business and investment in the developing world through smart and forward looking partnership. Objectives that smart partnership stands for are described as sustainable, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely. The first smart partnership took place in Langkawi, Malaysia in November 2000. |
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