Kampala Hosts First Refugee and Host Communities Exhibition to Drive Trade and Job Creation

Kampala, Uganda

Kampala is hosting its first-ever Refugee and Host Communities Exhibition, bringing together refugee entrepreneurs, host community businesses, policymakers and development partners in a landmark effort to expand trade and employment opportunities. The three-day exhibition that began from 12th-14th December 2025, held at MOTIV Grounds in Bugolobi, showcased a wide range of products including processed agricultural goods, handmade crafts, textiles and small-scale manufacturing innovations produced by refugees and Ugandan host communities.

Organised by the Office of the Prime Minister in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, and supported by partners including UNHCR, the exhibition was designed to connect small and medium enterprises with buyers, investors and policymakers. Officials said the event reflects Uganda’s broader refugee response strategy, which allows refugees to work, move freely and engage in business alongside host communities.

Government representatives at the opening ceremony emphasised that the exhibition is not merely a display of products but a practical marketplace intended to generate contracts, partnerships and long-term commercial relationships. Refugee entrepreneurs from settlements across the country described the platform as a rare opportunity to access urban markets and formal supply chains that are often out of reach.

Why it matters
Uganda hosts one of the largest refugee populations in the world, and sustaining this open-door policy increasingly depends on economic inclusion rather than humanitarian aid alone. By positioning refugees as producers and business owners rather than beneficiaries, the exhibition signals a shift toward self-reliance and shared economic growth. Successful market linkages can reduce aid dependency, create jobs for both refugees and host communities, and ease social and economic pressure on local governments.

What to watch
Attention will now turn to whether the conversations and contacts made at the exhibition translate into signed supply agreements, access to financing and policy support for scaling production. Observers will also be watching for commitments from the private sector and follow-up investments from development partners to ensure that refugee-led enterprises can meet quality, volume and export standards.