Ethiopia and Uganda have signed an agreement today that would help the two east African nations to work together in the military field.

The Defense Minister of Uganda, Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja and the country’s defense forces Chief of Staff, General Wilson Mbasu Mbadi is in Addis Ababa for an official visit.

The Uganda military officials were warmly welcomed by Minister of Defense, Abraham Belay and Chief of Staff of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF), Field Marshal Birhanu Jula at the headquarters of ENDF.

Consequently, the defense ministers of the two countries signed a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding.

Similarly, the chiefs of staff of the two countries signed a document that comprises a detailed plan to implement the Memorandum of Understanding, according the Ethiopian National Defense Forces.

Speaking at the occasion, Minister of Defense Abraham Belay said that the agreement will further consolidate the relationship between Ethiopia and Uganda.

The minister indicated that the tw
o countries have signed this agreement in order to ensure their mutual benefits in terms of information exchange, military capacity building, peacekeeping, regional and other related issues.

The Defense Minister of Uganda, Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja said on his part that Uganda is determined for the execution of the agreement.

Uganda is a friendly country to Ethiopia and the two countries have also been working together on Pan-Africanism, said Chief of Staff of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces, Field Marshal Birhanu Jula.

He also affirmed his country’s commitment to implement the military agreements.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Mr Samuel Nartey George, a lead sponsor of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2021, has urged President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to assent to the Bill following its passage by Parliament on Wednesday, February 28.

‘We want the President to walk his talk by appending his signature to the bill to enable it to come into force,’ he said.

Addressing the Parliamentary Press Corps after the passage of the Bill, the National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo-Prampram, said there was considerable support among MPs for the passage of the Bill.

He, therefore, expressed appreciation to colleague MPs, and particularly Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, a former Majority Leader, for their commitment to ensuring the bill was passed.

‘We want to thank Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, who played a pivotal role in passing this bill,’ the MP told the media.

Mr George also underscored the unity among MPs in the House during the whole process, adding: ‘The overwhelming majority from both sides of the ais
le have endorsed this bill.’

He pledged the collaboration of members of Parliament with the media to ensure extensive public education on the bill.

The object of the Bill is to provide for proper human sexual rights and Ghanaian Family Values, which proscribes lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ+) and related activities.

The Bill currently proscribes lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) activities and criminalises their promotion, advocacy and funding.

Persons caught in these acts would be subjected to six months to three-year jail term with promoters and sponsors of these acts bearing a three to five-year jail term.

The Bill would now require presidential assent to come into force.

In May 2023, Uganda signed one of the world’s toughest anti-LGBT laws, including the death penalty for ‘aggravated homosexuality.’

Activists said it unleashed a wave of abuse and the World Bank suspended new funding to the country.

The United Nations said in 2021 that the proposed law, Human Sexual R
ights and Family Values, would create ‘a system of state-sponsored discrimination and violence’ against sexual minorities.

Source: Ghana News Agency