The Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury, Dr. Ramathan Ggoobi, has urged Uganda’s High Commission in London to translate its economic diplomacy efforts into tangible gains, calling for a stronger focus on outcomes that directly impact national growth.
Speaking during an engagement with staff at Uganda House in Trafalgar Square, Ggoobi said foreign missions must move beyond routine administrative functions and demonstrate clear results in promoting trade, investment, and tourism.
“We need more tourists, more investors and markets for our exports,” he said, emphasizing the need for measurable impact under Uganda’s Economic and Commercial Diplomacy (ECD) Strategy.
Ggoobi noted that while the London mission has made progress in positioning Uganda internationally, there is still room to scale up efforts, particularly in securing investment deals, opening new export markets, and driving tourism inflows.
His remarks come as Uganda intensifies efforts to achieve its long-term target of becoming a 500-billion-dollar economy by 2040, a goal that places foreign missions at the center of driving economic transformation.
Under the ECD framework, diplomatic missions are expected to prioritize economic interests by actively marketing Uganda as a destination for business and travel, while facilitating trade linkages and investor engagement.
Ggoobi also pointed to the importance of Uganda’s image abroad, calling for improvements to Uganda House and the High Commissioner’s residence to reflect a modern and professional national outlook in key global capitals.
High Commissioner Nimisha Madhvani said the mission remains committed to strengthening Uganda–UK economic ties, noting that government support, particularly funding for ECD activities, has enabled continued engagement with investors and trade partners.
Officials at the mission are also advocating for increased air connectivity between Uganda and the United Kingdom, arguing that regular direct flights by Uganda Airlines would boost trade, tourism, and investment flows.
The engagement underscored a growing shift toward results-driven diplomacy, with government officials signaling that missions abroad will increasingly be assessed based on their contribution to Uganda’s economic priorities.
