Kampala hosts 4th UGA-UAE Business Forum as trade hits $2.85 bn and investment climbs to $3.5 bn
Kampala, Uganda Kampala is hosting the 4th edition of the 4th Uganda–UAE Business Forum (27-29 October 2025) at the Speke Resort Munyonyo.
The forum brings together senior government officials, business leaders, and investors from the United Arab Emirates and Uganda to deepen trade, investment and innovation ties.
Recent figures show bilateral trade between Uganda and the UAE has reached US$ 2.85 billion, while UAE investment in Uganda has surged to US$ 3.5 billion.
At the summit, Uganda’s Minister of State for Investment and Privatisation, Evelyn Anite, called on UAE investors to tap into Uganda’s “peaceful, profitable” economy, emphasising sectors like water transport, mineral value-addition, and affordable capital partnerships.
The forum is positioned not just as a trade conference, but a platform to turn dialogue into joint ventures and long-term partnerships. As Uganda positions itself as a regional gateway, key sectors up for discussion include agro-industrialisation, infrastructure, renewable energy, tourism and real estate.
For Ugandan businesses, the message is clear: align with the UAE’s investment appetite and join the next wave of sustainable growth. For UAE firms, Uganda offers a stable base in East Africa with emerging sectors and growing regional connectivity.
Key takeaway:
This summit underscores Uganda’s ambition to scale foreign direct investment and leverage its strategic location in East Africa, while also signalling the UAE’s increasing interest in the region as a business frontier.
