Uganda is Latest African Donor of Relief to Hurricane Katrina

[NGONGE]

Jim Fisher-Thompson

Washington, DC

 

Uganda has joined other African nations responding to devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina with a donation of $200,000 for relief and rebuilding efforts in New Orleans and communities along the Gulf of Mexico coast.

 

Visiting Ugandan Foreign Minister Sam Kutesa told the Washington File September 7 that the government of President Yoweri Museveni and the people of Uganda "feel with you and sympathize with you at this time of sorrow. We know you have lost dear ones, as well as considerable property. And we want Americans to know we are thinking of them and are standing shoulder to shoulder with them."

 

The official made a point of mentioning the donation was not just a pledge but that the money would be transferred immediately to the Bush-Clinton Katrina fund.

 

Hurricane Katrina struck the U.S. Gulf Coast August 29. The storm and subsequent flooding have devastated parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama and left thousands homeless.

 

A statement released by the Ugandan Embassy September 8 announcing the donation quoted Museveni as saying, "The United States has been generous in responding to natural and humanitarian disasters all over the world, including in Africa. Uganda has more than once been the beneficiary of this generosity and justice requires us to aid the people in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama who have lost their homes and loved ones."

 

President Bush named his father, a former president, and former President Bill Clinton to head up fund-raising efforts for reconstruction that may cost more than $150 billion. The hope is they can duplicate their very successful fund-raising efforts for victims of the devastating tsunami that struck South Asia in December 2004. (See related article.)

 

Kutesa said, "We know that under the guidance of the two former presidents money will go where it is needed most and where it can be used best."

 

Uganda joins other African nations contributing to Katrina relief including: Djibouti, $50,000; Gabon, $500,000; and Kenya, $100,000.

 

Noting the symbolic value of the Uganda donation matched against the immense sums needed for reconstruction, Kutesa told the Washington File, "America has been very generous in helping Uganda fight HIV/AIDS and developing its economy. So it is only right that we try to help as much as we can. We wish we could do more but we are limited."

 

Kutesa said, "We know what human tragedy can mean. Unfortunately in Africa much of it has been man-made instead of natural. The human tragedies of Idi Amin and Milton Obote, for example, led to the deaths of more than 800,000 Ugandans" in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

 

Now, he said, Uganda is one of the best friends America has in Africa and "we look forward to strengthening our relations as we both cope with the aftermath of disasters that have struck our countries."

 

Kutesa's next stop in America is New York City, where he said he will participate in the annual United Nations General Assembly meeting the week of September 13-17. President Museveni plans to attend with a number of other African leaders.

 

A highlight of the U.N. gathering, Kutesa said, will be a meeting of the foreign ministers of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda in a tripartite peace process for eastern Congo begun two years ago with the help of the U.S. State Department. After Burundi recently joined, the Great Lakes peace effort is now called the "3 plus 1" talks.

 

(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

 

Source

[xiinfaniin]

Though it is a misplaced priority of sort, I still take pride in this.

[Gabbal]

What pride shall I take in from this? All I can say is misplaced loyalty; the Ugandan government's loyalty should first be given to its citizens. If the United States was a poor nation, I could understand, but when whatever you give them will hardly be noticable because of the size of the U.S treasury chamber's coffer, it it not more wise to spend every last cent you have on the slums of Kamapala and on the Ugandan people?

[Jacpher]

Big time misplaced priority. More like A$$ kissing donation. I wonder what they'll get in return.

[BN]

Sidee nin miskiin ah, oo waxba lahayn, gargaar u geyn karaa nin kale oo lacag kabatay?

 

Yaab badanaa...

[Sky]

Originally posted by Ducaqabe:

Big time misplaced priority. More like A$$ kissing donation. I wonder what they'll get in return.

Definetily misplaced priority. But I also take pride in this. It indicates a level of dignity. Something the richest nation in the world lacks.

[juba]

Uganda giving aid to the US! Um shouldn't it be the other way around?

[Sky]

Are you guys racists or something. Black people shouldn't donate. Like we are little kids or something and we need to stay put and know our place.

 

The experience of giving is so much more powerful than receiving. It enriches one's soul/ Don't deny that to Africa, no matter how poor we are. We still deserve our dignity.

[OogBoi]

We still deserve our dignity AND money. We need our african money more than americans do, simple as that.

[NGONGE]

I notice that most people have missed out Djibouti’s generous donation of $50000 to the American cause.

 

 

In other news (waxa la yedhi) that the government of his Excellency Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed have also offered to help the United States in its hour of need.

 

In a long and elaborate speech delivered to the journalists of the world, the president sought to compare the tragedy besetting America today to the one that’s been crippling Somalia for the past fifteen years.

 

He started by talking about the chaos, death and despair. He talked about the need for strong leadership and steady resolve. He cleverly contrasted the floods engulfing New Orleans to the flood submerging Somalia (him). He concluded that mischievous comparison with a chuckle and repeated the old age maxim of one man’s meat being another man’s poison.

 

 

His Excellency the president praised the efforts of the countries that sprang to the aid of the United States of America. He told of his amazement at the expertise of the Cuban doctors, the discipline of the Mexican soldiers and the calmness of the Egyptian rescue-workers. With what seemed like neighbourly banter, he praised Djibouti for its very large donation of $50,000 and used it as an example to other bigger and larger nations to also donate to this cause. He spoke of the temporary negative impact such a large donation will have on the economy of Djibouti, yet still praised that selfless country for answering the American calls for help.

 

President Yusuf is a very meticulous man. He made sure that he spoke about every country that made a donation to the United States of America. He marvelled at all their efforts. However, (and here, most people that are familiar with this great man would have anticipated the sting in the tail) President Yusuf said that none of these efforts were of that much benefit to the United States. Like the wise man he’s always been, he reminded everyone that America was the sole superpower in this world. That it was the richest, strongest and most organised. However, he also spoke about its naivety when it comes to natural disasters and the way to deal with them. In one of those sentences that are usually quoted and repeated by the masses when great men utter them, he said ‘America does not know everything, only Allah does’!

 

While everyone was lost in thought and looking up in awe at the great man, he amazed them further by suggesting the most obvious of ideas. With hindsight of course, we say such an idea is obvious. However, if his Excellency did not suggest it, it would have stayed in the recesses of his mind and the world would not have benefited from such great wisdom. Be that as it may, the idea is now out and President Yusuf’s name will, once again, enter the history books with yet another great thought.

 

This idea was so simple, so cunning and so ingenious that most present journalists agreed (as if lowly assent was needed) that Mr Yusuf was the wisest man alive.

 

 

Seeing the level of devastation and lawlessness in New Orleans reminded Mr Yusuf of his very own capital. He recounted his feelings as he watched those people shooting at the police on TV. He told of his anger as the looters were shown walking away with other people’s goods. He wiped a tear as he thought of the killing, rape and abuse.

 

All of a sudden, there was a twinkle in his eye and a naughty look in his face as he eulogised the abilities, organisation and greatness of the Somalis of the capital Mogadishu. He then stood up. All the journalists stood up with him. He looked far into the distance and started speaking. He was not speaking to the journalists anymore. He was not speaking to the Somalis and he was not speaking to himself. Mr Yusuf was talking directly to America. He told them that he’s not going to send them money. He’s not going to send them medical supplies. He’s not going to send them doctors or nurses. He told America in general and New Orleans in particular, that he’s going to send them ROAD BLOCK experts. There shall be no more looting, he said. Peace will return and New Orleans will be back again on its feet. Mr Yusuf then turned back to the awed journalists and told them that he’s sending 50,000 of these roadblock experts (along with their leaders).

 

He looked back into the distance and whispered words of encouragement to America before blessing them all and refusing to accept any thanks for his efforts. The journalists, the Somalis and everyone else wondered why other world leaders did not have a similar aura as this great man! Some worried that the Americans, after seeing the success of his idea, might decide to headhunt him.

[-Serenity-]

OH MY GOD!! That’s friggin hilarious! Is it true? Seriously…? Road block experts? What the hell is that? Perhaps he meant refugees? Just a wild guess.

 

Lo0oL. NG, how do you do it?

[Saxardiid]

he’s sending 50,000 of these roadblock experts (along with their leaders).

I think he already sent the deligation headed by mr Sharif.

[MR ORGILAQE]

Old man that was hilarious

Seven the roadblock experts in this case as i understand it are the Isbaaro in Mogadishu and those that man them along with their leader i.e the warlords

As someone suggested the Shariff is there now and he is forward units of this force sorting out the logistical requirements mapping the actual sites they will be located