New initiative eyes boosting Uganda's export market

The Wednesday launch, which was held at Next Media Park in Naguru, Kampala, was officiated by Odrek Rwabwogo, the chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development.

The Uganda Connect is a platform that eyes promoting the country's exports and enhancing its global appeal. The initiative will see the private sector support the government's efforts to market Uganda to foreign markets.

The project was conceived following President Yoweri Museveni’s directive on boosting efforts to market Ugandan goods that can bring in foreign exchange.

Under this initiative, Ugandan products and investment prospects will be marketed through cutting-edge branding and marketing strategies.

The first Uganda Connect Hub was launched in Belgrade, Serbia by President Museveni in and it aligns with the government’s agenda to promote Ugandan exports and foster international connections.

The focus is on key foreign exchange earners, namely: coffee, vanilla, cocoa, tea, beef, flowers, banana flour, fruits, and vegetables, as agreed upon by the governments of Uganda and Serbia.

Rwabwogo expressed optimism about the Trade Hub in Belgrade, considering it a golden opportunity for Ugandan companies to access a broader global consumer base.

At the opening of the Serbia hub, President Museveni called upon the government and people of Serbia to support Uganda's flourishing agricultural sector.

He told them that Uganda produces almost any agricultural commodity anyone can name on earth -- ranging from fruits and vegetables, meats, dairy products, nuts and grains as well as essential vegetable oils.

“I'm delighted to introduce to you the organic, fresh in nutrients agricultural products from Uganda. Our products are grown on smallholder farms with very much care about the preparation because that is what we eat and it is also part of the heritages of families. They don't do it just for business, they do it because that is their heritage which has now become commercially relevant,” the President said. 

President Museveni also noted that Uganda's private sector is slowly introducing large commercial farming to feed the region and the world at large.

Museveni was also happy to note that Serbia had already expressed interest in Uganda’s pineapples, coffee, grains, flowers, dairy and banana products.