To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Ugandan Ambassador to the UK on press freedom and civil liberties in that country.
Answered on
27 June 2019
Government officials have discussed the upcoming media freedom conference, and its priority for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office with the Ugandan High Commission in London. The Ugandan Foreign Minister is also confirmed to attend the conference. Our High Commission in Kampala, alongside the EU and other missions, released a statement on 3 May calling on the Ugandan Government to guarantee freedom of speech and expression, and freedom of assembly as enshrined in the Ugandan Constitution. Following the statement, British High Commission staff highlighted our concerns during the EU Heads of Mission meeting with President Museveni in May. The UK supports freedom of expression as a fundamental human right alongside freedom of the media and we continue regularly to raise any concerns around civic and political issues directly with the Ugandan government.