The Uganda Development Forum (UDF) has outlined an ambitious roadmap for Uganda’s economic transformation during this year’s inaugural national dialogue held under the theme “Advancing Trade and Industrial Growth for Uganda’s Transformation.”
The discussion, hosted on NBS Television’s Spotlight Uganda programme on Monday, focused on the country’s progress toward attaining upper middle-income status within the next 15 years.
The dialogue set the stage for discussions around the upcoming National Development Plan IV (NDP IV) — which will guide Uganda’s shift from sector-based to programme-based planning, ensuring better coordination and efficiency across government.
According to the organisers, Uganda’s projected tenfold economic growth will be anchored on four key pillars: agro-industrialisation, tourism, mineral benefaction, and science, technology, and innovation.
These sectors are expected to drive productivity, create jobs, and enhance competitiveness in both regional and global markets.
Speaking during the programme, Edward Katende, Executive Director of the Uganda Development Forum (UDF), described the organisation as a “think and do tank”—a body that not only generates policy recommendations but also partners with key actors to implement them.
“We are a think and do tank. We do what all think tanks do, but we go a step further to identify partners who can drive our recommendations into action,” Katende said.
Katende emphasised that the Forum is engaging Ugandans across the country through consultative meetings aimed at building a shared national vision of a Shs 1,738 trillion (USD 500 billion) economy.
“We are moving around the country organising meetings to paint to Ugandans the picture of a Shs 1,738 trillion (USD 500 billion) economy. That kind of economy has modern infrastructure, state-of-the-art medical facilities, and world-class industries. That’s the dream we are seeing,” he said.
While acknowledging the magnitude of the task ahead, Katende expressed confidence in Uganda’s resilience and ability to overcome external challenges such as global conflicts, trade embargoes, and climate change.
“It takes a lot of effort to achieve a Shs 1,738 trillion (USD 500 billion) economy because there are many factors against us. But this is not the first time we have faced adversity. We’ve lived through wars and epidemics — Ugandans are survivors and resilient,” he said.
As Uganda prepares to roll out NDP IV, the Uganda Development Forum pledged to continue fostering multi-sectoral collaboration and policy alignment to ensure that the country’s long-term development goals are not only envisioned but realised.
The Uganda Development Forum is policy-oriented, dedicated to promoting evidence-based dialogue, strategic partnerships, and actionable solutions for Uganda’s sustainable economic transformation.