President Yoweri Museveni has called on East African countries to remove trade barriers and resist protectionist policies, arguing that restrictions on cross-border trade are undermining the East African Common Market and limiting economic opportunities for citizens and businesses.
The President made the remarks on Wednesday while receiving credentials from four newly appointed diplomats at State House Entebbe, including Kenya’s High Commissioner-designate, Ababu Namwamba, South Korea’s Ambassador-designate, Sangho Lee, Tanzania’s High Commissioner-designate, Maj. Gen. Marco Elisha Gaguti, and Namibia’s High Commissioner-designate, Gabriel Pandureni Sinimbo.
During talks with the Kenyan envoy, Mr Museveni said regional economic integration would only succeed if member states allowed the free movement of goods and services across borders.
He said high taxes and restrictions imposed on goods traded between East African countries weaken the common market and hurt consumers and businesses.
“The United States started with only 13 states but eventually expanded to 50. That large market has made it one of the strongest economies in the world. East Africa should learn from such examples and continue building a strong common market,” Mr Museveni said.
The President cited Uganda’s decision to continue allowing imports of Tanzanian rice despite concerns from local rice farmers who have previously called for restrictions on the commodity for their lower prices.
According to Mr Museveni, banning the imports would have negatively affected Tanzanian producers and the general economy, denied Ugandan consumers access to cheaper rice and reduced competition among local producers.
He argued that regional integration requires countries to prioritise long-term economic growth over short-term protectionist interests.
His remarks come amid recurring trade disputes within the East African Community (EAC), where member states have occasionally accused one another of imposing non-tariff barriers that hinder the movement of goods.
Kenya’s High Commissioner-designate, Mr Namwamba, said strengthening trade ties between Uganda and Kenya would be among his key priorities towards sustainable economic growth and prosperity.
“Commercial diplomacy is going to be at the top of my priorities during my tenure of duty to promote and increase the volume of trade between the two countries,” he said.
He also pledged to advocate for the free movement of goods between the two neighbouring countries, saying eliminating unnecessary trade barriers would benefit businesses and citizens on both sides of the border.
The East African Business Council estimates that trade restrictions cost the region roughly $10 billion every year in lost opportunities.
During a separate meeting, South Korea’s Ambassador-designate, Mr Lee, reaffirmed his country’s commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation with Uganda.
‘Among my priorities is to make sure cooperation deepens between the two countries in areas of mutual interest and building on decades of friendly relations,’ he said.
Mr Museveni used the occasion to reflect on Uganda’s long-standing ties with both South Korea and North Korea, noting that Korean professionals have worked in Uganda for decades.
“Koreans have been here since 1966. I remember when I was in secondary school, many Korean doctors came to Uganda. We are very happy with South Korea, and we have good relations with North Korea as well,’ he said.
The President also received credentials from Tanzania’s Maj. Gen. Gaguti and Namibia’s Mr Sinimbo, who both pledged to strengthen cooperation between their countries and Uganda.
‘Uganda remains committed to working closely with friendly nations in advancing shared development goals and promoting regional stability,’ Mr Museveni noted.
The presentation of credentials formally authorizes ambassadors and high commissioners to represent their countries in Uganda and marks the start of their diplomatic assignments.