The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Henry Oryem Okello has called for greater regional integration and stronger international partnerships to accelerate East Africa’s economic transformation.
Oryem made the remarks on Wednesday while officially opening the 3rd Stanbic East Africa Business Summit, held in Kampala under the theme “Connected & Resilient: Scaling East Africa’s Regional Advantage.”
The two-day summit, hosted by Stanbic Bank Uganda and the Standard Bank Group, has brought together over 400 business leaders, policymakers, investors, and regional integration experts to explore strategies for unlocking East Africa’s full economic potential through trade, investment, and cross-border collaboration.
In his opening address, Oryem underscored the need for mobilising international finance to fund critical infrastructure, enhance climate resilience, and promote technological innovation across the region.
“We need to mobilise international finance, forge meaningful partnerships, and build public infrastructure. This is important for East Africa, which, as a unified region, can present a stronger collective voice on the global stage,” he said.
He further emphasised that deeper integration would enable the region to attract more investment and unlock new trade opportunities, positioning East Africa as a competitive global economic hub.
The Chief Executive Director of Stanbic Bank Uganda Mumba Kalifungwa described the summit as a pivotal moment in East Africa’s economic journey. He highlighted Uganda’s transformation from a landlocked to a “land-linked” economy — driven by investments in infrastructure, trade facilitation, and connectivity that allow goods and services to move seamlessly across borders.
“This summit comes at a defining moment for our region, Uganda, once considered landlocked, is fast transforming into a land-linked economy. As the region integrates, Stanbic’s role is to ensure that when businesses bank with us in Uganda, they are banking across East Africa — with the support and reach to grow into new markets,” Kalifungwa said.
Kalifungwa reiterated Stanbic’s commitment to fostering cross-border trade and financing solutions that support private sector growth and regional competitiveness.
The outgoing Regional Chief Executive for East Africa at the Standard Bank Group Patrick Mweheire reflected on the summit’s evolution since its inception in 2023, describing it as “a movement that is shaping policy, informing strategy, and catalysing partnerships across East Africa.”
“East Africa is not just another region for us. It is one of the most exciting and strategically important growth engines in our portfolio. With a young population, fertile soils, vast natural resources, and deepening integration, this region has all the ingredients to become a global growth engine. But growth will not happen by accident — it will require collaborative leadership, deliberate investment, and bold action,” he said.
Mweheire further noted that the summit has tripled in scale and influence since its launch, with previous editions held in Kenya and Tanzania. This year marks the first time the event is being hosted in Uganda, coinciding with a leadership transition as Joshua Oigara assumes the role of Regional Chief Executive for East Africa at Standard Bank Group.
Forging a Shared Future
Delegates are to participate in panel discussions and keynote sessions focusing on cross-border trade, infrastructure development, financial innovation, climate resilience, private capital flows, and the region’s demographic dividend.
The summit aims to forge actionable partnerships and shape a shared vision for an integrated, resilient, and prosperous East Africa — one built on connectivity, innovation, and inclusive growth.