Diaspora marks 59th Independence Day with Uganda Canada business convention

Uganda is seeking to attract investors with a Uganda Canada Convention 2021 that started this  Saturday, October 9, 2021.

The two-day event will run from October 9 until October 10, 2021 in Canada.

The convention seeks to attract Ugandan Canadians interested in developing their businesses both in the diaspora and at home in Uganda in areas and topics ranging from mobile money transfer, diaspora tourism, affordable college education, diaspora banking, mortgage financing, health insurance, venture capital, diaspora SMEs, dual citizenship-passport renewal, immigration and resettlement tips.

Commenting on the convention, Uganda’s ambassador to Canada, Joy Ruth Acheng said that the embassy has been and will take opportunity of the event to attract investments back home in Uganda.

“It is also through the same convention that we mobilize and outsource potential business people that have interests to go and invest in Uganda. Even-though they don’t have interests to invest in Uganda, we try to interest them to go and invest there,” ambassador Acheng said.

According to the ambassador, the event which is taking place on October 9, the same day Uganda is celebrating 59th Independence, is expected to attract over 400 participants. She said the number would have been more than that if it wasn’t for Covid-19 restrictions.

During the event, several great people including Pan-Africanist Prof PLO Lumumba, staff from Uganda High Commission and an Immigration attache, are expected to deliver keynote speeches.

“We shall talk about the business opportunities in Uganda because we want to showcase to the world what we have in Uganda, the beautiful sights of Uganda, we shall be featuring tourism sector, we shall talk about our Oil and gas, mining industries, opportunities in energy for rural transformation in Uganda, and immigration issues among others.” Acheng said.

Ambassador Acheng thanked Ugandans in Canada for their great efforts especially through remitting money home to help people in Uganda.

Acheng revealed that with other diaspora members elsewhere, shortly before the lockdown, they remitted over US$1 billion back home and that Canada was contributing around US$400,000 something she says cannot go unappreciated.

She also highlighted that the event will go a long way in attracting attracting tourists to come and visit the wonderful tourism destinations that the country offers.

“We will also be encouraging people who want to come to Uganda to tour or visit the beautiful land to come. And Uganda being beautiful and champion in keeping peace in the region and also in Uganda, I really encourage them to come because there is no any problem”

The ambassador added that the embassy will use the day to renew passports for Ugandans living in Canada.

“We’re also renewing the passports for the Ugandans who could have come here longtime ago and their passports expired. We’re renewing their passports and on that day, we’re going to work on some of those things.” Acheng said.