President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has urged global investors and buyers to translate growing interest in Uganda into concrete business deals that create jobs and expand prosperity across the continent.
Delivering the President’s keynote address at the Uganda Connect International Buyers’ Week, Vice President Jessica Alupo highlighted Uganda’s strategic position as a gateway to East and Central Africa. She called on participants to build lasting partnerships under the event’s theme, “Meet, Connect, Trade.”
The four-day gathering, held from November 25–28, has attracted major trade delegations from Nigeria, Ghana, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), South Africa, Serbia, China, Ethiopia, and the United States. Exporters, importers, and business executives are engaging in matchmaking sessions, factory tours, and networking forums aimed at closing supply-demand gaps in agriculture, manufacturing, ICT, and other priority sectors.
Museveni emphasised the importance of turning interest into action.
“The main focus of this week is to consolidate efforts aimed at turning interest into actual orders and orders into enduring partnerships that generate jobs and incomes for our people,” he said.
The President pointed to Uganda’s young and educated workforce, year-round agricultural production, improving infrastructure, and political stability as the country’s strongest assets. However, he noted long-standing gaps in capital, entrepreneurship, and knowledge.
“Uganda has always had an abundant supply of labour and land,” Museveni stated. “But without capital, entrepreneurship, and knowledge, our resources will remain as they have been since before the time of Jesus.”
Trade at the heart of economic transformation
General Wilson Mbasu Mbadi, Minister of State for Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives, outlined how Uganda is tapping into the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and national strategies to boost exports.
“Trade has been elevated to a central pillar of Uganda’s economic transformation within the NDP IV,” he said. “The Plan identifies trade as a key driver of export-led growth, industrialisation, job creation, and increased household incomes.”
Odrek Rwabwogo, head of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development (PACEID), underscored the people behind Uganda’s products.
“When international buyers choose our products, they’re not just buying goods,” he said. “They’re buying into Uganda—our people, our potential.”
PACEID has been central in promoting Uganda’s exports, establishing trade hubs abroad, and supporting government-to-government negotiations.
Deals and opportunities ahead
Throughout the week, stakeholders expect multi-million-dollar commitments, with factory tours showcasing Uganda’s capabilities in coffee roasting, dairy processing, textiles, and high-value agricultural exports.
“Uganda is open for partnerships,” Museveni concluded, striking an optimistic tone. With the AfCFTA Guided Trade Initiative now operational, analysts project Uganda’s non-traditional exports could double by 2027—cementing the country’s position as one of Africa’s emerging trade powerhouses.