The United States has announced the Roosevelt Africa Trail as the first deal under its Trade Over Aid Deals framework, advancing an indicative US$1.2 billion investment pipeline for Uganda alone during the 81st United Nations General Assembly High-Level Week in New York.
The announcement was made at the high-level Trade Over Aid Deals Showcase at the Lotte New York Palace, hosted by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and co-hosted by U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz and John Jovanovic,
President and Chairman of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM). The engagement brought together senior U.S. and African government officials, financing institutions, businesses and investors around a central proposition: moving U.S. –Africa economic engagement toward trade, investment and commercially sustainable partnerships.
The US$1.2 billion announced under the Roosevelt Africa Trail represents the Uganda leg alone. Kenya and South Sudan, which form part of the wider regional Trail, are not included that figure and are expected to develop their own nationally defined flagship projects and investment pipelines.
For Uganda, the announcement elevates the Roosevelt Africa Trail from a shared heritage and tourism initiative into a potential economic platform spanning infrastructure, technology, tourism, agriculture, investment and jobs.
The U.S. announcement marks a significant step for the Roosevelt Africa Trail, positioning it as the first deal under the Trade Over Aid Deals framework and creating a pathway for Uganda’s investment pipeline to engage U.S. government institutions, financing agencies,
companies and investors.
Rather than representing a single US$1.2 billion project, the Uganda pipeline brings together commercially distinct but interconnected opportunities.
These include the proposed Roosevelt Africa Museum of History & Science, Library, Resort and wider destination development; Smart Monuments and digital infrastructure; tourism and hospitality development; and Roosevelt Africa Safari Coffee.
The Trade Over Aid platform provides a mechanism for taking these opportunities from high-level economic diplomacy toward feasibility, commercial structuring, financing, partnerships and implementation.
The level of U.S. representation during UN General Assembly High-Level Week underscored the commercial focus of the September 25 engagement. The Showcase was hosted by Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, alongside co-hosts Amb. Mike Waltz, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, and John Jovanovic,
President and Chairman of EXIM.
Representatives of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) were also present, providing another potential financing pathway as individual l projects within the Uganda pipeline are developed into bankable transactions.
Uganda’s participation included Minister of Foreign Affairs Amb. Adonia Ayebare, and Uganda’s Ambassador to the United States Robie Kakonge, representatives of Uganda’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, Diana Kyaremera, CEO of AGE Safaris, and Roosevelt Africa Trail leadership including Joshua Sentongo, Director, Business Development & Strategy, and Dr. Frederick Kiggundu, Director of Finance.
The September 25 announcement builds on the September 10 Shared Heritage, Shared Opportunity engagement at Uganda House in New York, where U.S. Representative to
ECOSOC Amb. Dan Negrea supported advancing the Roosevelt Africa Trail through the Trade Over Aid framework.
The Trade Over Aid is a U.S.
-led approach focused on expanding economic relationships through trade, investment, private enterprise and commercially sustainable partnerships.
The Deals framework seeks to translate that approach into transactions by connecting
investment opportunities with U.S. government agencies, companies, investors and financial institutions.
For the Roosevelt Africa Trail, the proposition is two-way: Uganda gains potential access to investment, technology, infrastructure, tourism markets and commercial partnerships, while American companies gain opportunities for exports, contracts, customers and long-term commercial relationships.
What Is the Roosevelt Africa Trail?
The Roosevelt Africa Trail is a heritage, tourism and economic-development initiative built around the route and historical encounters associated with former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt’s 1909–1910 expedition through East Africa.
In Uganda, the Trail creates a tourism and investment corridor beginning around Lake Victoria and Entebbe, moving through Kampala and the Kingdom of Buganda, continuing into the Bunyoro-Kitara region through Hoima, Masindi and Butiaba, through Budongo Forest, onward to Murchison Falls National Park, and then northwest along the Albert Nile through
Rhino Camp to Ajai Wildlife Reserve and the wider West Nile region. Key destinations include Lake Victoria and Entebbe; Kampala and Buganda’s royal heritage sites; Namugongo; Hoima, Masindi and Butiaba in Bunyoro-Kitara; Budongo Forest; Murchison Falls National Park and the Nile; Rhino Camp and the Albert Nile; and Ajai.
Wildlife Reserve in West Nile.
These destinations are intended to operate as an interconnected visitor journey rather than isolated historic sites, supported by Smart Monuments, digital storytelling, accommodation, transport, restaurants, cultural experiences, conservation activities and local businesses.
The wider Roosevelt Africa Trail extends into Kenya and South Sudan, with each country
developing its own nationally defined heritage, tourism and investment projects.
From Lake Victoria to West Nile: Building a Smart Heritage Corridor
The proposed Smart Monuments network would provide the digital backbone connecting Uganda’s Roosevelt Africa Trail destinations.
At Lake Victoria and Entebbe, the Trail introduces the historic gateway through which Roosevelt entered Uganda.
In Kampala and Buganda, the experience connects the Roosevelt story with Buganda’s royal and cultural heritage, including Roosevelt’s historical encounter with Kabaka Daudi Chwa II and Uganda’s indigenous mwanyi coffee heritage.
The Trail then continues into the Bunyoro-Kitara region, connecting Hoima, Masindi and Butiabawith the history of the Kingdom of Bunyoro-Kitara, the Nile and Roosevelt’s journey.
Budongo Forest forms a distinct natural and heritage destination, connecting Roosevelt’s historic journey with Uganda’s forest ecosystems, biodiversity, scientific research and conservation story.
From Budongo, the Trail continues to Murchison Falls National Park, where the Nile, wildlife, landscapes and conservation heritage create one of the principal tourism experiences along the route. The corridor then follows the Albert Nile toward Rhino Camp, before reaching Ajai Wildlife
Reserve and the wider West Nile region, adding important conservation, wildlife and community-tourism experiences to the Trail.
Together, the destinations form a clearly defined Uganda visitor corridor: Lake Victoria & Entebbe • Kampala & Buganda • Bunyoro-Kitara • Budongo Forest
Murchison Falls • Albert Nile & Rhino Camp • Ajai Wildlife Reserve & West Nile
Each destination can be digitally connected through AI, immersive storytelling, archival material, mobile interpretation and Smart Monuments, while directing visitors toward nearby hotels, restaurants, guides, transport providers, cultural experiences, artisans and community enterprises.
The ambition is to develop the world’s longest connected smart heritage trail, transforming a historical route into a modern tourism and commercial corridor.
Roosevelt Africa Museum, Library, Resort & Destination Development
A major anchor within the Uganda investment pipeline is the proposed Roosevelt Africa Museum of History & Science, Library, Resort and wider destination development.
The development is envisioned as an integrated destination bringing together heritage, science, research, conservation, hospitality, entertainment and tourism.
The Museum and Library would interpret the Roosevelt expedition alongside the deeper
histories, cultures, natural sciences and conservation stories of Uganda and the wider region.
The wider concept is envisioned to include museum and library facilities, science and
research functions, resort and hospitality development, visitor experiences,
entertainment and supporting tourism infrastructure, creating a major destination rather than a stand-alone museum.
Its development could generate opportunities for Ugandan and U.S. companies across architecture, engineering, technology, hospitality, infrastructure, equipment and professional services.
Roosevelt Africa Safari Coffee: Strengthening the U.S.
Coffee Supply Chain
The Uganda pipeline also extends directly into agriculture through Roosevelt Africa Safari Coffee.
The proposition connects Theodore Roosevelt’s historical association with coffee to Uganda’s much older indigenous coffee heritage, particularly mwanyi, the Robusta coffee historically embedded in Buganda’s culture, hospitality and traditional ceremonies.
But the commercial opportunity extends well beyond the heritage story. The proposition is
designed to connect Uganda’s coffee-producing capacity with U.S. investment, processing technology, brands, distribution and market access, creating more direct U.S. Uganda coffee value chain.
The commercial proposition has already generated expressed interest from Keurig and an LOI/partnership pathway with U.S.
-based Kahawa 1893.
The Switzerland Case: A U.S. Supply-Chain Opportunity Switzerland demonstrates how significant coffee value can be captured after the bean leaves
the farm.
Despite not being a major coffee-growing country, Switzerland exported approximately US$3.63 billion of non-decaffeinated roasted coffee in 2024.
The United States imported approximately US$1.12 billion of non-decaffeinated roasted coffee from Switzerland that
year, making Switzerland its largest foreign supplier in that category by value.
The comparison highlights an opportunity for Uganda and the United States.Uganda already has the agricultural production base. The opportunity is to combine it with American capital, processing technology, equipment, packaging, branding and distribution so that more value can be created closer to production while strengthening direct commercial links with the U.S. market. The strategy therefore goes beyond exporting green beans.
It envisages greater value addition
through roasting, packaging, branded coffee, K-Cups and pods, specialty products and other finished coffee products for the U.S. market.
For the United States, the proposition could help diversify coffee supply relationships while creating opportunities for U.S. companies across processing technology, equipment, packaging, logistics, branding and distribution. For Uganda, it provides a pathway to retain more value from one of its most important agricultural commodities through processing, manufacturing, exports and jobs.
In practical Trade Over Aid terms, the proposition is straightforward: Ugandan agricultural production combined with American technology, investment and market access to build a commercially sustainable U.S. Uganda supply chain EXIM and DFC as Potential Financing Pathways The involvement of EXIM, including its President and Chairman as a co-host of the Showcase, creates a potentially important pathway as individual projects move from announcement toward
execution. EXIM could potentially support eligible purchases of U.S. equipment, technology and professional services for qualifying Trail projects.
DFC could potentially support qualifying private-sector investments, creating a complementary pathway alongside private capital and other financing sources.
Development of the Trail and its associated investment pipeline could therefore generate commercial opportunities for American companies across technology, artificial intelligence, architecture, engineering, hospitality, aviation, infrastructure, equipment, agricultural
technology and value-added manufacturing.
The US$1.2 billion represents the announced indicative Uganda investment pipeline, rather than US$1.2 billion already approved or disbursed by EXIM, DFC or another U.S. institution Individual transactions would proceed through feasibility, eligibility, due diligence and formal approvals.
What the Announcement Means for Uganda
The significance of the U.S. announcement during UN General Assembly High-Level Week is ultimately about converting the Trail’s geography and heritage into economic activity. In Entebbe, Kampala and Buganda, that could mean cultural tourism, hospitality, technology,
creative industries and coffee-linked enterprise.
Across Hoima, Masindi, Butiaba and the wider Bunyoro-Kitara region, it could create new visitor circuits, accommodation, guiding, transport and heritage businesses.
At Budongo Forest, the Trail can strengthen opportunities around nature tourism, biodiversity, research, conservation and community enterprise.
Around Murchison Falls and the Nile, it can strengthen connections between international tourism, conservation, hospitality and local enterprise.
Along the Albert Nile, Rhino Camp, Ajai Wildlife Reserve and the wider West Nile region, the Trail could stimulate accommodation, transport, food supply, guiding, conservation experiences and community-based tourism.
Across the entire route, Smart Monuments could create opportunities for Uganda’s technology, film, creative, heritage and digital-content industries.
Roosevelt Africa Safari Coffee could create opportunities for Uganda’s farmers and processors to participate in higher-value U.S. supply chains rather than relying principally on commodity exports.
The proposed Museum, Library, Resort and destination development could provide an additional major tourism, science, heritage and hospitality anchor.
The objective is therefore not simply to commemorate a historical journey. It is to turn the Roosevelt connection into an interconnected network of tourism experiences, businesses,
jobs, exports and investment.
From Announcement to Execution
The September 25 announcement during UN General Assembly High-Level Week in New York shifts the emphasis toward execution.
The next phase involves breaking Uganda’s
US$1.2 billion pipeline into individual bankable transactions, completing feasibility work, identifying U.S. and Ugandan partners, structuring
potential EXIM, DFC and private-sector financing, and converting commercial interest into agreements and projects.
The US$1.2 billion announced under the Roosevelt Africa Trail represents Uganda alone. Kenya and South Sudan are not included in that figure.
As Kenya and South Sudan develop their own nationally defined Trail projects and investment pipelines, the Roosevelt Africa Trail has will develop a route connecting Lake Victoria, Buganda, Bunyoro-Kitara, Budongo Forest, Murchison Falls, the Albert Nile, Rhino Camp, Ajai Wildlife Reserve and West Nile into a broader U.S.
–East Africa economic corridor connecting shared heritage with trade, tourism, technology, investment and