The people of Equatorial Guinea have presented the highest honour of their country, the Great Collar of Independence Award, to President Yoweri Museveni who is on a 4-day State visit to the Central African nation that he began yesterday at the invitation of his host President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.
The award was presented to President Museveni by his host, President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, yesterday evening shortly before hosting the Ugandan Head of State and his delegation to a State Dinner at the Presidential Palace in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea’s capital city.
Acknowledging the award, the highest honour bestowed to a respectable guest and who has made an outstanding contribution to the cause of the African continent, President Museveni said he was humbled by the “unexpected award.”
Speaking later at the end of the State Dinner hosted in his honour, President Museveni praised the government of Equatorial Guinea for using well its oil resources, especially in setting up infrastructure.
“I congratulate Equatorial Guinea for using the oil and gas very well. Some people say oil and gas are curses but in Equatorial Guinea it is a blessing, not a curse,” said President Museveni.
“It is only a curse if you are corrupt, not focused and do not use that perishable resource strategically and correctly,” said President Museveni, who added that Uganda would copy some of the best practices since it has also discovered oil.
Equatorial Guinea, which discovered oil in 1996, is currently the third largest producer of oil in Sub-Saharan Africa, averaging 340,000 barrels a day.
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