Kampala, Uganda, 28th April 2023: The Secretary-General of the Organisation of Educational Cooperation (OEC), Sheikh Manssour Bin Mussallam concluded his official visit to Uganda on Friday 28th April 2023 with a meeting with President Yoweri Museveni in Kampala.
During the meeting, the Secretary-General briefed the President about the implementation of the common work programme of the Member States—of building balanced and inclusive systems to shape a third, solidary, and inclusive way of development –based on equity and equality.
The Secretary-General informed the President that building the future and education we want requires a collective, holistic and systemic approach that links the different sectors of the economy.
He explained that the OEC work programme is focused on working with, and supporting member states to build balanced and inclusive education systems that take into account local, national and regional realities, contexts and priorities.
He also said the organisation will work with member states to bridge the techno-digital divide through developing endogenous technologies, as well as promoting transdisciplinary research, sustainable agriculture, energy sovereignty, debt relief, and solidarity-based financing for development.
The President welcomed the creation of the OEC as a new international intergovernmental organisation of countries from the Global South founded in January 2020 and based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and pledged full support the its mission and vision.
He said Uganda will take the necessary steps to ensure the success of this collective endeavour for a more solidary and equitable world order. President Museveni thanked Secretary-General Bin Mussallam and the OEC for devoting and championing efforts aimed at identifying and applying solutions to deep rooted development challenges of dependency of economies and peoples of the Global South.
The Secretary-General also briefed the President about the forthcoming Summit of OEC Heads of State and Government to be held in Addis Ababa from 27 to 30 June 2023, to which he invited the President.
He also congratulated Uganda for achieving a historical milestone of soon assuming the Chairmanship of both the Non Aligned Movement (NAM) and the Group of 77+China (G77)—two influential groupings of countries from the Global South.
This is the first time in history that one country holds the two chairs simultaneously. The Secretary—General expressed the OEC’s readiness to work with and support Uganda during her tenure in order to leave a lasting legacy for the membership and Peoples of the Global South.
The visit which started on 26th April saw the Secretary-General give a keynote address at an international curriculum development conference which was organised by the National Curriculum Development Centre, meeting the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports Hon Janet Museveni and also the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon Abubakhar Jeje Odongo.
