The 4th edition of the Uganda-UAE Business Forum has concluded with a wave of optimism and several landmark investment deals poised to reshape Uganda’s economic landscape.
The three-day forum, held from October 27-29, 2025, at Speke Resort Munyonyo, brought together more than 300 delegates from both countries, including senior government officials, investors, and business leaders, signalling a deepening of bilateral economic cooperation.
The highlight of the forum was the signing of major investment agreements arising from business-to-business (B2B) and government-to-business (G2B) engagements.
Among the most notable was Fly 6, a Dubai-based technology company, which is finalising discussions with the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority and the Department of Citizenship and Immigration Control to invest in smart airport facilities – including modern electronic gates at Entebbe International Airport. In another landmark deal, Amba Shipping and Logistics Pvt. Ltd entered into a partnership with the Source of the Nile Hotel to develop a state-of-the-art marina on the River Nile in Jinja.
The company also reached an understanding with the Ministry of Works and Transport to modernise Port Bell Pier in Kampala under a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement.
During the opening session, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja reaffirmed Uganda’s ambitious goal to grow its economy tenfold by 2040, increasing the national GDP from $65 billion to $500 billion.
She emphasised that partnerships such as the Uganda-UAE forum are instrumental in mobilising the capital, technology, and expertise needed to achieve that vision. Dr Monica Musenero Musanza, the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, underscored the importance of value creation as the cornerstone of Uganda’s development agenda.
‘Creating wealth is not merely about producing goods, it’s about generating value, employment, and a sustainable GDP,’ she said, adding that wealth creation stimulates trade, taxation, and reinvestment across the economy.
On her part, Ms Evelyn Anite, the minister of State for Investment and Privatisation, urged UAE investors to leverage Uganda’s peaceful environment, strategic location, and growing economy. ‘Uganda is stable, profitable, and full of opportunity. Now is the time to invest,’ she declared.
Representing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Charges Sentongo reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting Uganda’s foreign missions to promote economic and commercial diplomacy – now a central pillar of Uganda’s foreign policy. Closing the event, Finance Minister Matia Kasaijja praised the forum as ‘a turning point in Uganda-UAE economic relations,’ saying it has shifted the partnership from simple trade exchanges to multi-sector investment and value addition.
Echoing that sentiment, Ambassador Zaake Wanume Kibedi, Uganda’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates and Permanent Representative to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), described the forum as a ‘strategic leap’ toward deepening bilateral engagement.
‘Uganda must position itself as a viable destination for UAE and Gulf capital – an attractive tourism hub and a reliable source of organic agricultural products. If we can achieve this, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) from the UAE can double from the current $3.5 billion (Shs14 trillion) to $7 billion (Shs28 trillion), and trade volumes can rise from $2.85 billion Shs11.4 trillion) in 2024 to over $5 billion Shs20.1 trillion) within three years,’ Ambassador Kibedi said.
He added that the Uganda Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General in Dubai are already implementing a strategic plan to achieve this growth trajectory. As part of that effort, the government has established the Uganda Business Center at the Consulate in Dubai to support Ugandan SMEs in accessing markets, financing, and business intelligence.
Projected revenue
Uganda’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates Ambassador Zaake Wanume Kibedi says trade volumes can rise from $2.85 billion Shs11.4 trillion) in 2024 to over $5 billion Shs20.1 trillion) within three years.