Government Clarifies the Appointment of Korean National as Consul in Uganda

The Communication Officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad has clarified that the government has appointed a Korean national as honorary consul and not as an ambassador to represent the country in Uganda.

On Thursday, the news with the headline ‘Gambia Opens Consulate In Uganda, Appoints Korean’s Lee Sung Ho 1st Consul’ published in the Ugandan online medium, The Spy, aroused public concerns.

According to the report, “after opening the Consulate, the government of Gambia appointed Korean’s H.E Lee Sung Ho as its 1st Consul in Uganda”.

Since then several people have expressed concerns over such an appointment considering the appointment of a non-citizen and also the operation cost of a diplomatic mission considering the country’s weak economy.

However, Saikou Ceesay, the ministry’s communication officer, clarified to The Chronicle that the office in Kampala is a Honorary Consulate and not a diplomatic mission running at government’s cost.

“He is Gambia’s Honorary Consul in Kampala, Uganda. He was appointed to serve the interest of The Gambia in the area of economic diplomacy and bringing investors to the country,” Ceesay, told The Chronicle.

“Whoever knows Honorary consulate, you know the government doesn’t give them money, it doesn’t give them allowance and it doesn’t give them salary,” he clarified.