President Museveni has called on the European Union and other international partners to support Africa's industrialisation and value-addition agenda, arguing that the continent cannot achieve meaningful prosperity while remaining primarily an exporter of raw materials.
Speaking after a meeting with Jan Sadek and his delegation at State House Entebbe on Tuesday, Museveni said Africa's economic transformation depends on expanding local manufacturing and processing industries.
The President welcomed the long-standing relationship between Uganda and the European bloc but stressed that future cooperation should place greater emphasis on industrial growth and value addition.
“I welcomed this long-standing collaboration and emphasized the need for Europe and other partners to support Africa's industrialization and value-addition agenda. Africa cannot continue exporting raw materials while importing finished products if we are to achieve prosperity for our people,” he said.
Museveni argued that a stronger African economy would create mutual benefits for both continents by expanding opportunities for trade, investment and business.
“A richer and more prosperous Africa is good for business, investment, and trade for both our continents. I encouraged our European friends to work with us in unlocking Africa's enormous economic potential through value addition, industrialization, and infrastructure development,” he added.
The meeting comes as Uganda and the European Union continue to deepen economic and development cooperation. Trade relations between the two partners have grown steadily in recent years, with bilateral trade reaching a record €2 billion in 2024. Uganda also registered a positive trade balance with the bloc during the period.
The EU remains the largest source of foreign direct investment in Uganda, accounting for a significant share of investment inflows across sectors including manufacturing, energy, agriculture and services.
Since presenting his credentials to President Museveni in October 2022, Ambassador Sadek has overseen a period of expanding engagement between Uganda and the EU. During his tenure, cooperation has focused on trade promotion, infrastructure development, green energy initiatives and private sector growth.
Among the notable milestones has been the strengthening of business-to-business partnerships through the Uganda-EU Business Forum, which has connected European investors with Ugandan enterprises and contributed to increased trade and investment opportunities.
The EU has also mobilised substantial financing under its Global Gateway strategy, supporting energy and transport projects, including investments in hydropower rehabilitation, renewable energy systems and planning for urban transport infrastructure in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area.
Development cooperation has remained a central pillar of the partnership, with Team Europe investing significant resources annually in programmes supporting economic growth, public services, climate resilience and agricultural value chains, including coffee and forestry.
Additional support has been directed towards Uganda's tourism sector through initiatives aimed at improving competitiveness and promoting the country as a destination for international visitors.
The discussions took place as Uganda and the European Union reflect on five decades of partnership, with both sides seeking to deepen cooperation in trade, investment, infrastructure development and sustainable economic transformation.
