Noah Gal Gendler, the ambassador of the State of Israel to Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Seychelles and Malawi was this week hosted by Pastor Robert Kayanja at Miracle Center Cathedral – Rubaga.
The ambassador hinted on the growing need for an Israeli embassy in Uganda, likewise, one for Uganda in Israel.
“We need to kick off. To begin with, I believe we should nominate a consul to represent Uganda in Israel, and one who will represent us here. We will do it in the coming weeks.” Mr Noah Gal Gendler said.
He revealed that young innovators in Uganda should break down the resistance to looking at and learning from mistakes. Mr Noah Gal Gendler said this during an interview with Channel 44 TV news anchor Edwin Muhumuza.
“It is very logical for many business start ups to collapse in their first few years of operation. This is the nature of being a start-up. You fail, but in the end have success. 10-15 companies try, and one comes out a success. The important thing about it is that failure is not a catastrophe. For as long as it is done with a pure spirit, no ill intentions, it is not a catastrophe,” he said.
Adding,” It is the case in Israel as well, out of 10 startups, I believe one will be a success. That is the nature of this industry. You should not complain, but study from the mistakes.”
After statehood in 1948, Israel faced a deep economic crisis. Away from having to recover from the devastating effects of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, it also had to absorb hundreds of thousands of Jewish refugees from Europe and almost a million from the Arab world.
In a few years however, Israel was able to reach an unexpected level of economic growth that at the start of 2009, some 63 Israeli companies were listed on the NASDAQ, more than those of any other foreign country.
The Economist later reported that Israel now has more high-tech start-ups and a larger venture capital industry per capita than any other country in the world.
Mr Noah Gal Gendler told Channel 44 TV there is a full system that supports the ICT and Itec industry in Israel. “It was not done over night, it takes time. You have to begin somewhere, and then develop,” he said.
“We cannot take it for granted that we are 70 years old. After being 2000 years exiled, we feel privileged to have our own state. This is the first lesson, if you want something, you can achieve it, and you have to handle it very carefully, and at the end of the day will have success,” he added.
As of 2015, Israel ranked in the top 20 nations in the world on the UN’s Human Development Index, which placed it in the category of “Very Highly Developed”, allowing the country to enjoy a higher standard of living than many other Western countries such as Austria, France and Finland.
A recent Israel envoy to Uganda disclosed that they are focusing on projects in Uganda like uplifting the standard of Mulago hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU), starting agricultural stations from which many Ugandans can learn and encouraging the Uganda business community to pay a visit to Israel for on the spot exposures.
By Paul W Dennis.
