REMARKS BY HON MATIA KASHAIJJA MINISTER OF STATE FOR PLANNING DURING THE 2012 UGANDA RESPONSIBLE INVESTMENT AWARDS

The Rt Hon Prime Minister

Members of Parliament

Heads of Diplomatic Missions

Business Leaders/Investors

Officials of Public Opinions and Uganda Investment Authority

The Organising Committee of the 2012 URI AWARDS

Ladies and Gentlement,

The theme of this High Level Conference is very Clear-Responsible Investment as a tool for attainment of the UN Millennium Development Goals and the Uganda National Development Plan- This theme and conference is timely and now is the time for the Investors both local and foreign to work towards achieving the set goals and targets of the National Development Plan. As you may be aware The theme of the five-year plan is growth, employment and social-economic transformation. Under the plan, investment priorities will include physical infrastructure development, education, skills development, health, water and sanitation.
We also give priority to agriculture, industry and promotion of science, technology and innovations.

As you well know, the NRM Government is promoting private sector as an engine of social-economic transformation of Uganda into a modern industrial nation. It is the private sector including many small scale farming households that is responsible for the majority of productive investment in Uganda. In general the motivation for investment is expected to be commercial, and government will therefore seek to ensure that incentives in the economy encourage the kinds of investments that will generate pro-poor growth.

The concept of Responsible Business or Investment is an important concept that is being promoted by both governments and international agencies around the world including the United Nations which in 2000 launched the United Nations Global Compact as the largest private sector initiative to promote responsible investment through upholding the 10 Universal principles of the United Nations. I want to encourage the Award Winners today to continue to promote and uphold the same principles, and iam calling upon all the Investments in Uganda to uphold the nationally and internationally defined principles, best practices and standards.

I therefore ask the Investors to do business responsibily by upholding International Best Practices and Standards such as;

1.      Corporate Social Responsibility/Community engagement

2.      Respect for Internationally proclaimed human rights of employees

3.      Elimination of discrimination in respect of occupation and employment

4.      Working against all forms of corruption including bribery and extortion

5.      Upholding freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining

6.      Promotion of greater environmental responsibility, etc.

7.      Pay taxes

8.      Use of appropriate and friendly environmental Technologies

9.      Production of quality goods and services,etc

The above principles and Standards are clearly defined in various International treaties and conventions such as; the United Nations Millennium Declaration, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Kyoto Protocol, The 10 Universal Principles of the United Nations Global Compact,UN Convention Against Corruption,Rio Declaration on Environment and Development,etc.

I want to congratulate you all the Winners of the 2012 Uganda Responsible Investment Awards upon this achievement.

I want to thank Public Opinions for initiating the Uganda Responsible Investment Awards-You deserve support and we shall support you.

I thank you,

Hon Matia Kashaija

MINISTER OF STATE FOR PLANNING