自然与丛林、神秘与野趣——“非洲明珠”乌干达，承载着世界对美丽东非的无尽想象。这个境内大部分国土位于东非高原的国家，动植物与矿产资源丰富，拥有65个民族，自然禀赋与人文的多样性让片土地迸发着原始的力量和恒久的生命力。中乌两国自建交以来，一直保持友好的关系。去年是两国建交60周年，双边关系也在2023年迈上了新台阶。在这个令人振奋和鼓舞的时期，《瞭望新时代》杂志社（下简称“瞭新社”）邀请乌干达共和国驻广州总领事茱蒂斯·桑巴贝拉大使（Judyth Nsababera）展开了一场对话，分享她眼中的乌干达、作为女性领导者的人生经历以及对中乌双边关系的看法。

乌干达共和国驻广州总领事茱蒂斯·桑巴贝拉大使

丰饶的大地：“非洲明珠”

乌干达位于非洲东部的心腹地带，横跨赤道，东邻肯尼亚，南接坦桑尼亚和卢旺达，西接刚果，北连南苏丹，总面积241550平方公里。跟人们印象中的很多非洲国家不同，乌干达境内湖泊众多、河系纵横，丰沛的水量加上1000-1200米的平均海拔，让乌干达气候宜人，且有“高原水乡”的美誉，同时造就了壮美的自然环境，孕育了无数的珍稀野生动植物。不少人们耳熟能详的世界地理风光其实都在这里——东非大裂谷的西支纵贯乌干达西部，谷底湖泊众多；位于乌干达西南部的鲁文佐里山脉有非洲第三高峰玛格丽塔峰和众多瀑布、湖泊和雪山冰川，是著名的旅游胜地；乌干达还拥有非洲最大的淡水湖——维多利亚湖，其近一半的水域是尼罗河的源头之一。这颗非洲的“明珠”颇有由来，茱蒂斯大使告诉我们，多年前，时任英国首相温斯顿·丘吉尔周游非洲来到乌干达时，对见所未见的气候感到惊讶、对丰富的动植物群非常着迷，便为乌干达留下“非洲明珠”的美名。

乌干达最高峰——玛格丽塔峰，山顶终年积雪，由冰川、冰斗湖、冰瀑及独特的动植物群体构成山峰景观

乌干达拥有超过全球50%的稀有的山地大猩猩，徒步追踪和观察山地大猩猩（gorilla trekking）更是非常值得体验的项目

作为深受各国人民欢迎的旅游目的地，乌干达不仅因其绚丽多姿的地理风光吸引着全球的游客，还因其独特的人文风貌而让人心驰。65个民族在这片土壤繁衍生息，淳朴热情的人们欢迎着来自世界各地的朋友。早前，乌干达旅游局首席执行官莉莉·阿贾罗娃(Lily Ajarova)就说过：“非洲明珠乌干达拥有令人激动的风光、拥有精彩的文化、拥有最好客的人民。”外界所看到关于乌干达的一切总离不开野生动植物、咖啡、度假胜地，但乌干达的人民也是这个国度的迷人之处。

“乌干达有着全世界最善良的人民，他们真诚、友好，并真心地想和你成为朋友。你会在酒吧、餐厅甚至机场遇到热情的乌干达人，说不定还会被他们邀请到家里做客。”茱蒂斯大使说，“我们的总统也拥有这样的美好品质，对于乌干达人民来说，他就像一位父亲。认识和了解乌干达的人民，一定会成为你们来到这里最美妙的事情之一。”

2022年6月，朱蒂斯大使在乌干达布温迪森林“徒步追踪和观察山地大猩猩”时，受到当地人民的热烈欢迎并一同起舞

卓越的女性领袖：“空间创造者”

去年八月份，茱蒂斯大使从乌干达来到中国广州，正式上任乌干达共和国驻广州总领事。而在此之前，这位年纪轻轻即被授予大使衔的女士，其个人履历已十分丰富且耀眼。她曾在哥伦比亚大学和哈佛大学就读，系统学习过工程建设与组织心理学，担任过乌干达总统的地区事务高级总统顾问，连拳击手也是这位“斜杠”大使的另一重身份。

当然，让人艳羡的光环与鲜花之路“不是一夜之间发生的”。“ 我从无数优秀的人身上学习，也做了很多努力去真正地认识自己，例如参加了哈佛大学女性领导力项目。”在那里，茱蒂斯大使遇到了很多有成就的女性，她们是企业或机构的创始人、总裁或者高管，这让她感到自己并不孤独，因为早就有很多优秀的女性在开拓这条道路。她真切地说道，“任何人的‘我的人生’与你自己的人生是完全不同的，你必须想办法有所作为，开拓自己的路，并真实地活着。如果一个人对自己真诚，便能够更自信地代表自己，也能更好地代表你所在的企业、机构或者政府。”

瞭新社国际新闻中心记者柯娜（Keneuoe Ntene，右）对话朱蒂斯大使（左）

作为一位有影响力的女性领导者，也作为一个女孩的母亲，茱蒂斯大使时刻关注着女性议题并努力为身处弱势的女性发声。在去年的国际消除对妇女暴力日，她和多位驻穗女性总领事共同发起了对弱势女性的声援，并坚决谴责和抵制任何对女性不公正的待遇。

茱蒂斯大使的父亲在她很小的时候便去世了，她那位一人抚养七个孩子长大的伟大母亲，是茱蒂斯大使决心为女性权利和女性问题发声最简单直接的理由。在成长和工作的过程中，她看到了女性为家庭和社会所作的巨大贡献，就连她想要跟大家分享的咖啡豆，也是来自一家由女性主导的企业。而在大使的家里，记者一进门便看到她亲手为母亲画的画像，画中的女士目光亲切，笑容和蔼；客厅的两面大墙上，还错落有致地挂着乌干达女性的手工编织篮，每个篮子后都记录着她们勤劳工作、努力生活的故事。这些特意从乌干达千里迢迢“扛”到中国的物件，也是本次对话设在大使家里的缘故，“如果在办公室，我就不能够向你们介绍这些珍贵的乌干达特色了。”茱蒂斯大使笑着告诉记者，其时，她手上拿着极具民族特色的、用黑白珠子装饰的牛奶篮子，正准备讲述关于它们的故事。

乌干达精致的手工编织篮是民俗文化和劳动人民的结晶

“女性是社区和社会不可或缺的一部分。我真心地希望在未来的某一天，女性能够免受暴力的影响。”她再次强调，“我一直觉得，妇女是政府治理和和平建设中不可或缺的一部分。”

对于当下所取得的成就，她坦言，女儿是她在这一人生阶段中最大的前进动力。“我一直在思考，该如何创造一个让她和她的兄弟姐妹、朋友以及其他同龄孩子都能健康成长的世界？我的母亲是我成长过程中的榜样，我也想成为我女儿、侄女和侄子的榜样，让他们觉得‘我也想像Juju阿姨一样，我也能做到Juju阿姨能做的事’。”那么，朱蒂斯大使又想以什么样的身份被人们记住呢？她的回答也非常有意思——“空间创造者”（space creator）。“我希望通过友好的方式为人们创造空间，让他们得到自由表达和施展的机会，把人和人连接在一起——我甚至把乌干达政府对我的任命看作是一种“连接”。同时我也很感谢总统先生的广阔视野，让我和其它像我一样的人得到大展拳脚的空间。”毫无疑问，朱蒂斯大使绝对是一位有着敏锐嗅觉和大胆想法的创造者。

深厚的友谊：“比以往任何时候更坚定”

中国和乌干达在1962年10月18日建交。自建交以来，中乌两国经贸关系和经济技术合作进展顺利。2022年，两国贸易额为11.35亿美元，同比上升6.6%。中国对乌干达主要出口机电产品、服装鞋类，并从乌干达进口皮革、芝麻、咖啡、棉花。自1962年至今，中国援助乌干达建设了奇奔巴农场、坎帕拉制冰厂、沼气池、国家体育场、渔场码头、外交部办公楼等项目。新冠肺炎疫情发生后，双方也积极开展抗疫合作，中方向乌方提供了不少抗疫物资。

长期以来中乌在基础设施、贸易、教育等方面展开的密切合作，毋庸置疑是一次双赢。茱蒂斯大使用亲身经历讲述，“当我从首都回到家乡，这100公里路在从前可以说是‘艰难’的，但现在，我不仅可以安全地从首都开车回家，还不必担心灰尘、车辆故障等问题。”她认为，基础设施是两国合作的核心之一，如果没有健全的公路、铁路等交通体系，交流和发展便无从谈起。目前，中国交建正在承建乌干达恩德培国际机场的改扩建项目，中国企业也正在乌干达进行翠鸟油田的开发，一系列重大合作项目如火如荼地进行着。

2022年5月，朱蒂斯大使参观乌干达恩德培国际机场的改扩建项目

2023年3月22日，中方团队承建的乌干达卡鲁玛水电站首台机组成功并网发电

与此同时，为进一步加强中乌两国人民的相互了解和友谊，“中国政府奖学金”一直欢迎乌干达公民申请，这个实施多年的教育项目一直是两国教育发展与文化交流的重要桥梁。人才是一个国家发展的关键，截止至2022年，已有5000多名乌干达公民通过中国奖学金项目接受了教育，包括在农业、医疗保健、公共管理、计算机科学和基础设施等领域的学习或短期培训。

而物产丰饶的乌干达也一直为中国市场提供着优质的农产品。得益于肥沃的土壤、丰沛的降雨和充足的阳光，乌干达一年有两次大丰收，大多数作物还可以全年收获；作为罗布斯塔咖啡的天然产地，乌干达是非洲最大的咖啡出口国；乌干达三分之一的国土为淡水覆盖，是许多美味鱼类品种的来源……茱蒂斯大使热情地欢迎中国公民到乌干达投资，尤其是在农业领域：“在乌干达的土地上，什么样的种子都能繁茂生长，而且我们70%的人口都是年轻一代。丰富的土地与人力资源是乌干达的巨大优势，尤其是对于来自中国这样一个人口大国的投资者。”

2023年2月，朱蒂斯大使拜访了一位种植西红柿和辣椒的乌干达农民，帮助他了解如何通过机械化等改善农业生产，输出更优质的出口产品

2023年3月，朱蒂斯大使前往梅州考察，双方在“一带一路”战略框架中不断拓展新的合作机遇

据大使介绍，长期在乌干达政府管控下的咖啡、茶、棉花等最近都被放在了“私营部门”—— 由私人投资者和农民单独经营。政府成立了乌干达咖啡发展局，负责咖啡的世界推广工作，使乌干达农民、贸易商等咖啡行业从业者以及咖啡消费者有更大的获益。她表示，咖啡的适用范围很广，除了我们常喝的“美式”，还可以用于化妆品、酒精饮料等，领事馆还将继续开展一系列的咖啡杯测等推广活动，欢迎所有感兴趣的朋友参与。

乌干达咖啡豆深受世界各地欢迎

2022年11月18日，中国正式给予乌干达98%税目产品零关税待遇，根据乌干达贸易部的数据，乌干达专家预计今年每月将向中国出口10万公吨咖啡，这将为两国的深度合作提供加速度、让两国人民真正受惠，也极大地推动建设开放型世界经济。中乌的合作关系牢固且强大，双方在去年都热烈庆祝了建交60周年。为了加强和巩固这一关系，进一步实现互信共赢，乌干达政府决定在中国广州建立乌干达共和国驻广州总领事馆办公室和官邸。茱蒂斯大使说：“在广州建地基、灌溉土地，这是我们‘哪儿也不去’的最好证明。”

瞭新社主编陈欣妍（左）、国际新闻中心记者柯娜（右）向朱蒂斯大使（中）赠予“中国福”

2023年是“一带一路”倡议提出十周年，而去年的二十大以及今年的两会也为中国与世界的发展焕发出新的动能。乌干达是“一带一路”的重要合作伙伴，自2018年两国关系提升为全面合作伙伴关系以来，双方合作进入快车道，在双边和多边各领域合作成果丰硕。而朱蒂斯大使最近也马不停蹄地在广州、梅州、琼海等地进行考察与合作对接。她还向我们分享了一个好消息：“乌干达直飞中国广州的航线很快就要启动了，这必定能为双方带来更多的产品、更多的机会，也能让更多中国人亲临乌干达进行投资和旅游，为‘一带一路’做出贡献。”

谈及前往非洲，从前很多人会想到坦桑尼亚、肯尼亚、南非、埃及，但现在，相信乌干达会成为一个新的理想的选择——这里是尼罗河的源头，是人类摇篮的东非高原。朱蒂斯大使笑着说：“我对中乌关系的发展感到非常兴奋，而我们的承诺也比以往任何时候都更坚定。”

朱蒂斯大使为瞭新社题词，感谢瞭新社在中国传播来自非洲的友好之声，讲好中非友好故事

以下为英文报道：

Linking Uganda to the world

——An in-depth talk with Ambassador Judyth Nsababera, Consul General of the Republic of Uganda in Guangzhou, China 

The world through her eyes is a place where possibilities are endless,  and with a heart that desires more for other’s well-being, she has managed to achieve a lot at a very young age — catering  her life’s work to making  the  world a better place for women who are voiceless and creating space for those who also have similar goals of empowerment. Ugandan-born  Ambassador Judyth Nsababera is a diamond among pearls and graced us with an invitation to her home in Guangzhou,  China, to have an in-depth talk where she not only shared her home with us but her passions as well. Ambassador Judyth Nsababera generously shared her experiences in her peacekeeping  projects, her career as an ambassador, and other works that she has ventured into  from time to time with Outlook New Era. She led the conversation by introducing her country, Uganda,  and elaborated on what her views on life are. She also abundantly enlightened us about the partnership and friendship between China and Uganda.

Uganda, “The Pearl of Africa”

Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Kenya borders the country to the east, South Sudan to the north, the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, Rwanda to the south-west, and Tanzania to the south.  A number of years ago,  when Mr. Winston Churchill,  who was prime minister of the United Kingdom at the time, traveled  around Africa, he was astonished by the rich nature and weather in Uganda. Enchanted by the abundant fauna and flora of the Ugandan land, he called it the pearl of Africa.

When asked what is the most special thing that she would like the world to know about Uganda is, Ambassador Judyth said,  “Uganda has the most kind people you will ever meet. They  are genuine, they are friendly,  and when you meet them,  they genuinely want to be your friend…” This shows the world that Uganda is not only wealthy in nature, but the people there are very hospitable and welcoming, and this extends all the way up to the highly esteemed, his Excellency president (His Excellency President,) Yoweri Museveni. In Ambassador Judyth’s words, he is a father to the nation, and he expresses his accommodating nature by relating with different people of the world in their own dialects. Be it a village in Uganda or a different country in Africa, he makes means to have a respectful understanding with the people of that particular place. She shared that anything that is put in the ground in Uganda will grow, and that means there will always be food to feed not just Uganda but the world. This further supports the saying that Uganda is a place where seeds are nurtured to become fruitful in life.

Intertwining Uganda and China for reciprocated growth

As much as the country is wealthy in natural resources, it is also developing, and sharing what it has to offer to the world. One of the strongest cooperations or friendships that Uganda has is with China. Ambassador Judyth mentioned that due to the infrastructure development that China has brought to Uganda, traveling around the country has become more convenient which not only benefits the people in Uganda but also aids in the travel and tourism industries of the country, allowing tourists to travel within the country comfortably. She said that infrastructure is a vital aspect of development and growth, especially on the African continent. The country is also exploring the raw mineral sector of exporting oil, and one of the companies that has partnered in this is a Chinese company. Last year, in celebration of the 60th year of diplomatic ties, the government of the Republic of Uganda decided that they would build a chancery in Guangzhou to strengthen and further solidify the partnership. She stated, “Putting bricks and water basically says that we are not going anywhere.”

In a China Daily news report, it was stated that Ugandan coffee farmers are preparing to increase sales in the key Chinese market, following the removal of tariffs on a variety of agricultural items from the African country by Beijing. According to the Chinese trade ministry, with the zero-tariff agreement between the two countries, which went into force on December 1, 2022, Uganda plans to export 100,000 metric tons of coffee to China every month this year.

To enrich the contents of the comprehensive cooperative partnership between China and Uganda, the Chinese embassy in Uganda welcomes citizens of Uganda to apply for the 2023-2024 Chinese government scholarships. This act has been present for years on end and has also made some advancements in improving  the quality of education. Ambassador Judyth said that it is truly an honor and joy to be interviewed by someone from the continent who is also a recipient of this scholarship. This just showed that China’s kindness and generosity stretch out to different parts of the world. On this note, she further expressed her deep interest in the Chinese language and culture and how being able to be here at this moment was truly appreciated.

For a long time, coffee, tea, cotton, among others, were considered cash crops and have been for the longest time in the hands of the government of Uganda. It is only recently that all of this has been put in the private sector, run solely by private investors and farmers, trading and making business off of it. The government created an agency called the Ugandan Coffee Development Authority that coordinates all that has to do with promoting coffee to the world. Working with this agency, it has been easier to work with China in ways that benefit Ugandan coffee farmers, traders, and all the other organizations that work in the Ugandan coffee industry, as well as benefit consumers of coffee around the world. Ambassador Judyth expressed that coffee has a wide range in business; it is not only sold for consumption but it is also found in cosmetics, alcoholic beverages among others, making it possible for a number of businesses to reap some benefits as well. One of the most popular foods in Uganda amongst many is coffee, and Kisoro being her hometown, her favorite brand is Kisoro Arabica coffee. This is a rich and deep coffee brand that has a variety of flavors and is planning on making more to accommodate the taste buds of the rest of the world. As she markets this coffee, she said, “Once you know what coffee tastes like, you will know the value of coffee”. The consul general also promotes the coffee by hosting cupping events where people get to taste the coffee, different kinds of beans and more.

2023 is the 10th  anniversary of  the Belt and Road Initiative. Also, the 20th CPC National Congress and the 2023 National Two Sessions bring vitality to China and the world. This is just the beginning of more advancements, such as the making of a direct flight from Uganda straight into Guangzhou, China and vice versa, eliminating travel complications on tourism seeing that the location of Uganda in east Africa makes it a cradle of humanity and also making it easier to bring products in and out of Uganda into China. This creates more agricultural and consumption investment platforms from all over the world because Uganda has the land, resources, and a strong labor force. “Our commitment is stronger than ever in terms of how we are going to develop,” she added. It also seemed to have been very smooth for her as she settled in Guangzhou, as she did mention that she is a city girl all the way; however, Guangzhou offered more than just city life to her; it offered exceptional cuisine, nature in the city, and a peace of mind due to its safety.

Ambassador Judyth, “the space creator”

“Being a woman, raising a daughter make you realize that it is important to speak for those who are not in a position to speak for themselves, and I believe it is important to always look out for women because they are an integral part of our community and society, and if there is any group that cannot or is unable to speak for themselves, then I will definitely jump in [to help],“ she exclaimed. Having been raised by a single mother of seven children and seeing the struggles and beauties of being a mother, Ambassador Judyth’s character has been molded in a way that led her to decide on dedicating her life to being the hope and voice for those who are challenged. Rooted and grounded in nurturing disciplines, she ventured into projects where she is not just a motivation for others but she is also becoming the best version of herself, fully proving how actually possible it is to not be bounded by the tribulations of life. Even during times of difficulty, such as traveling with her young daughter at the peak of COVID-19, where she had no control over  the circumstances and had to think about the well-being of both her and her child, she still remained true to her authenticity and stayed faithful to fulfilling what she viewed as her purpose in life. All of this did not happen overnight, and it took a lot of different kinds of exposures and experiences for her to keep this passion alive, and she truly is blazing a trail for the younger women who are coming after her with similar intentions. It is also very motivating and supportive to be in an environment or surroundings that fuel your fire and to see other people who make the same efforts succeed and make tangible progress.

With a reputation that precedes her and a bag full of prestigious, internationally recognized titles, Ambassador Judyth wishes to be remembered as a space creator and a connector. Creating a platform where women can express themselves freely and more, connecting people to each other’s paths of greatness. All of the titles and tags she has accumulated and achieved over the years were not for boastfulness or self-pride, but for the pride of others and for genuinely shedding a different light on the nations. Life changes and a lot of things evolve, but different stages of life require different kinds of ignitions. Though she may have started this journey with the pain of facing all the difficulties she had faced, the happiness she has experienced over the years has kept her afloat, and right now her daughter is her core motivation for keeping the flame of ambition ignited. Change is not just the end; it is the beginning of something new. Her job as an ambassador allows her to bring Uganda to the world and also bring the world to Uganda.

As she proceeded to show her appreciation, Ambassador Judyth expressed her gratitude to Outlook New Era magazine and its team for giving her the opportunity to share about her work, culture, and country so that people can understand the African culture better and also for creating a platform for people from other countries to be able to expand their horizons in different fields.

（瞭新社 Outlook New Era）