The workshop was attended by 10 Members of Parliament, Journalists from print and electronic media, representatives from Universities (Makerare), different Government Ministries and Departments, UN Agencies, Word Bank, WHO, UNFPA, USAID, NGOs, Civil Society Organizations, eminent professionals and experts in the field of reproductive health, population and development.

Dr. Jotham Musinguzi, Director of PPD Africa Office delivered an Address of Welcome and made a comprehensive presentation on the Reproductive Health, Population and Development scenarios in Uganda and other countries in Sub-Saharan African Region. Mr. Harry Sangeet Jooseery, PPD Executive Director made a Keynote presentation on “South-South Cooperation in Ensuring Sustainable Development in the Developing Countries”. The presentations were followed by a session on discussions, questions and answers chaired by one of the leading members of the Ugandan parliament. In response to spontaneous queries from the audience, the panelists Messrs Jooseery and Musinguzi explained how South-South Cooperation and particularly the PPD Africa Office would contribute to the attainment of sustainable development of the Southern countries, particularly Uganda and other Sub-Saharan African nations.

Mr. Harry Sangeet Jooseery, Executive Director of PPD presenting a keynote paper on South-South cooperation.

The Closing Ceremony was chaired by H.E. Dr. Omwony Ojwok, Honorable Minister of State for Finance, Planning and Population Development of the Government of Uganda and Board Member and Treasurer of PPD. The Minister formally announced the opening of the PPD Africa Office in Kampala and expressed the commitment of the Government of Uganda to extend all necessary support and assistance including Office Space, administrative support services and related logistics to the PPD Africa Office in Kampala.

H.E Dr. Omwony Ojwok giving closing speech in the workshop.
In his left Dr. Jotham Musinguzi, Director of PPD Africa office and
in the right Mr. Harry Sangeet Jooseery, Executive Director of PPD.

The closure of the workshop was followed by a Press Conference where the journalists from the country’s leading print and electronic media spoke with the Minister of State, PPD Executive Director and the Director of PPD Africa Regional Office.

International Conference on Muslim Religious Leaders to Support Population and Development to Achieve MDGs.

Mr. Harry Sangeet Jooseery, Executive Director attended and delivered a speech at the “International Conference on Muslim Religious Leaders to Support Population and Development to Achieve MDGs” held in Sanur, Bali, Indonesia from 12 – 16 February 2007. The conference brought together, among others, the senior Muslim Religious Leaders, Islamic Scholars and Jurisprudents from Muslim Countries of Asia and Middle East, who command profound respect and loyalty of their followers in those countries, to deliberate on how they can effectively contribute to the attainment of MDGs.

Mr. Harry Sangeet Jooseery with other participants of the Conference

In his speech, citing quotations from Islamic Religious scriptures, Mr. Jooseery underscored the importance and sought cooperation of the religious leadership in bringing out concrete changes in the socio-economic arena contributing to the attainment of MDGs for improvement of the living conditions of the people. Mr. Jooseery also explained how South-South Cooperation in Population and Development can squarely contribute to the development, peace, prosperity of mankind, which is the ultimate objectives of all divine injunctions and religious schools of thought revealed and recorded in human history. His speech was greatly applauded by the audience and the religious leaders expressed their willingness to extend their support and cooperation to the strengthening of population and development endeavors and promotion of South-South collaboration of PPD.