The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Henry Oryem Okello, has met with Sarah Troutman, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of African Affairs, in a bid to strengthen commercial diplomacy and expand strategic economic cooperation between Uganda and the United States.
The meeting underscored Uganda’s growing profile as a politically stable, reform-oriented gateway for investment in East and Central Africa, offering assurances of full profit repatriation under transparent and predictable regulations.
Minister Oryem told reporters that effective diplomacy must go beyond dialogue to produce tangible economic results.
“Diplomacy must convert dialogue into bankable opportunity,” he said, emphasizing that Uganda’s foreign policy increasingly aligns with commercial and development objectives.
Key sectors highlighted during the discussions included energy and petroleum development, critical minerals, aviation and transport infrastructure, regional logistics, and ICT and digital transformation.
The talks also considered compliance with global Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards, reflecting Uganda’s commitment to sustainable investment.
With the country preparing for first oil production, Minister Oryem invited responsible U.S. technical expertise and capital participation across the petroleum value chain—from exploration and production to infrastructure and value addition.
Responding, Deputy Assistant Secretary Troutman reaffirmed that commercial engagement forms a cornerstone of US policy in Africa, noting that mutually beneficial partnerships must be grounded in transparency and open, rules-based frameworks.
Both parties also identified tourism, regional connectivity, and integrated logistics corridors as emerging frontiers for bilateral economic collaboration.
The meeting comes as Uganda seeks to leverage foreign partnerships to accelerate industrial growth, strengthen infrastructure, and position itself as a competitive investment destination in the region.