Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa has held talks with Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey on strengthening parliamentary cooperation, trade, regional peace and opportunities for Ugandan students.
Tayebwa said he welcomed Botchwey and her delegation to Parliament on Wednesday for a courtesy visit, during which they explored areas where Uganda could deepen its engagement with the Commonwealth.
The meeting was also attended by Foreign Affairs Minister Adonia Ayebare, as Uganda seeks to strengthen its collaboration with the 56-member Commonwealth organisation.
Tayebwa said discussions focused on how the Commonwealth could support Uganda in building a more open and accountable Parliament.
He noted that Ugandan MPs could benefit from benchmarking with legislatures in other Commonwealth countries, particularly in areas such as parliamentary digitisation and institutional development.
According to Tayebwa, exposure to how other parliaments conduct their work could help Ugandan lawmakers improve their capacity to debate key national issues and contribute to development.
The Deputy Speaker also highlighted opportunities for the Commonwealth to support Uganda's economic and social priorities, including increased trade among member states.
He said the organisation could also play a role in supporting countries hosting refugees, including Uganda, as well as efforts aimed at promoting peace and resolving conflicts in the region.
Uganda hosts a large refugee population from several countries affected by conflict and instability, making international support an important component of its humanitarian response.
Tayebwa further said the discussions covered the possibility of creating more scholarship opportunities for Ugandan students through Commonwealth cooperation.
He said he was encouraged by Botchwey’s emphasis on trade and investment, noting that the area was among her key priorities as Secretary-General.
The engagement comes as Commonwealth countries continue to explore ways of increasing economic cooperation while strengthening democratic institutions and parliamentary accountability among member states.
Tayebwa said Uganda’s Parliament could benefit from continued interaction with other Commonwealth legislatures through exchanges, capacity-building programmes and sharing of technological innovations.
He expressed optimism that the discussions would lead to more engagements between Uganda and the Commonwealth Secretariat.
“I look forward to more engagements with her as we strengthen our cooperation,” Tayebwa said.