Article written by: Akenaten
Background
The government of Uganda in collaboration with China has commissioned a $30 million Machine manufacturing skills center that will combine industrial training and apprenticeship. The industrial skills center was fully funded by China as a grant and is based at Namanve in Mukono District.
The benefits of the skills center
No country can develop without going through industrialization. With the inauguration of this center, Uganda is now on the path to achieving her industrialization ambitions. Firstly, this center will provide the right environment for manufacturing the machines and equipment needed to bring the country into the industrial age. Uganda has various resources be it agriculture, oil, mining and others. The establishment of this center means that the country can develop home-made machines that will transform these resources into finished products.
Secondly, universities in the country such as Makerere University are conducting various researches for the benefits of the country and the region at large. But they face major handicaps in translating this research into innovative products and services that will impact society. Now this research institute will provide the link between academic research and industries.
Finally, if properly planned the private sector has a lot to gain from this initiative. For example, they could now confidently sponsor innovative research projects in Ugandan higher institutes knowing that the results of such research could be translated into real-life products and services that will positively impact their companies.
Industrial dreams of President Museveni
Uganda’s president Museveni frequently laments about how Africa missed out on the industrial revolution and that he will do his utmost to make sure that Uganda industrializes. With this objective, Uganda has formed a burgeoning partnership with China thas has continued to flourish and is leading the country towards its dreams of being a middle-income country. Uganda’s collaboration with China has yielded various massive projects such as in electricity generation, modern railways, airports, the Entebbe Expressway, the underground ICT backbone, construction of industrial parks, among many others.
China-Africa relations is resulting in the industrialization of the continent
Uganda in collaboration with china has built many industrial parks in addition to the unveiling of the country’s first smart phone and laptop manufacturing plant late last year. Moreover, with the addition of this machine manufacturing skills center, it is on the path towards realizing her industrialization ambitions.
Nigeria is also constructing a plant that will manufacture train tracks and coaches at home by collaborating with China. Moreover, it is also constructing Africa’s first transport university in collaboration with the Asian giant.
Ethiopia is also among the leading collaborators with china on the continent. It has built and commissioned several industrial parks and many are on the pipeline. Ethiopia had the fasting growing economy in the world in the past decade and its collaboration with china definitely played a role in achieving this feat. The East African nation is now on the verge of becoming the manufacturing hub of the continent.
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