President Museveni Welcomes Nippon Foundation Delegation at State House Entebbe

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni welcomed a delegation from the Nippon Foundation at State House Entebbe on Tuesday. The Nippon Foundation, Asia’s leading grant-making organization based in Japan, works with stakeholders worldwide to address social challenges.

The delegation was led by Mr. Isao Iijima, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister of Japan, and Mr. Takeju Ogata, Chairman of the Nippon Foundation. They are in Uganda to mark the launch of the Rehabilitation Center for Veterans in Mubende District. The Foundation contributed USD 500,000 towards the construction of the center and the provision of equipment for soldiers who lost their limbs in combat.

Mr. Ogata highlighted that the Nippon Foundation has been active in Uganda for over 40 years, particularly in agriculture and social development, and pledged continued support to strengthen the country’s resilience against climate change and other challenges.

President Museveni commended the Government of Japan for its long-standing partnership with Uganda, citing contributions to the construction of the Nile Bridge and improvements in the road sector. He also praised Mr. Iijima for mobilizing recent donations, which included 2,000 sewing machines for veterans and women’s groups, as well as fire trucks, ambulances, physiotherapy equipment, and prosthetic materials.

The President urged Japan to expand trade relations with Uganda, saying, “What we need most is for Japan to buy our products. We would like to trade with you, and we also wish that Japan removes taxes from our exports.”

The Rehabilitation Center project is being implemented with the support of the Government of Japan and the Nippon Foundation.