By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, April 25: Uganda has expressed interest in exploring strategic cooperation with Sarawak in the oil and gas industry and the agricultural sector, with the hope of building a long-term, mutually beneficial bilateral relationship.
The High Commissioner of the Republic of Uganda to Malaysia, Dr Betty Oyella Bigombe, said the East African country is keen to learn from Sarawak’s experience and expertise, particularly in gas separation and oil refinery development, a sector that is currently in the early stages of development in Uganda.
“The oil and gas industry is one of the main focuses, as Uganda is currently in the early stages of developing an oil refinery, and we are aware that Sarawak also has expertise in the gas sector.
“From an agricultural perspective, there is a lot to share with Sarawak. We are involved in coffee cultivation, dairy production, and oil palm. We are also learning from Sarawak, and we hope that this cooperation can continue,” she said in a TVS report.
She said this when met by the media after paying a courtesy call to Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg at Wisma Bapa Malaysia today.
According to her, the tourism sector was also discussed in the four-way meeting, which she saw as having great potential to be explored since Sarawak and Uganda have their respective expertise.
Her side was also open to establishing cooperation in other critical sectors, such as trade, which could open up new markets between the two.
Meanwhile, Sarawak Deputy Minister of Energy and Environmental Sustainability, Datuk Dr Hazland Abang Hipni, when met by the media, said that Uganda’s energy landscape, which is dominated by 86 per cent hydroelectricity, resembles Sarawak’s energy structure, making it an ideal platform for cooperation.
“Uganda is exploring the oil and gas sector. This opens up great opportunities for State-linked companies such as Petros to get involved. This strategic potential should be exploited,” he said.
As a step to strengthen bilateral relations, Bigombe also extended an official invitation to Abang Johari and Hazland to pay a working visit to Uganda. — DayakDaily
