Uganda-Shandong Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion Conference Underway

The Embassy of the Republic of Uganda in Beijing – China in conjunction with the Shandong Foreign Office will convene the Uganda-Shandong Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion Conference on November 8, 2022, starting at 9 am.

The one-day conference which is co-organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Kampala, the Chinese Embassy in Kampala, Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) and other MDAs, aims to deepen bilateral trade and economic cooperation for the mutual benefit of both Uganda and China.

The Conference which is one of the activities to commemorate 60 years of the establishment of Diplomatic relations between Uganda and China will be a hybrid event that will have physical and online participation.

The objectives of this Conference include; i) Exploring opportunities for cooperation in cotton production and textile value chain companies ii) Building cooperation in the production, processing and marketing of Ugandan grains, dried tropical fruits, coffee, sesame, and industrial cassava for export to China and outside China iii)  Articulate Uganda’s tourism attractions and potential, understudy scenic sites development and process of creating internal tourism iv) Study the petrochemical industry in Shandong and agree on cooperation in the development of the full value chain of the Petro-chemical industry in Uganda.

Others are; v) Identify companies for mining/mineral processing vi) Explore opportunities for cooperation in agricultural products value addition processing vii) Explore opportunities for cooperation in the manufacturing sector particularly machine tool production and viii) Explore opportunities for cooperation in logistics, transport, and distribution companies.

The Conference will; i)   Host an Investment Promotion Forum ii)  Mini Expo to showcase Ugandan products including coffee, shear butter, sesame, peanuts, arts and crafts, and tourism products etc. iii) Facilitate meetings with Shandong Provincial Officials including the political leadership and officials from the Department of Commerce and Department of Agriculture iv) Conduct B2B meetings with potential investors and v) Undertake field visits to selected factories.

Some of the participants expected to take part in this Conference include; i) 100 companies invited by the Foreign Affairs office in partnership with the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and ii) The companies invited will be those involved in agricultural value addition, agricultural mechanization and irrigation, petro-chemical industry, tourism industry and manufacturing industry.

The expected output of this conference includes; i) Uganda being promoted as the best Investment and Tourism Destination ii) Greater visibility of Ugandan products on the Chinese market iii) Potential investors identified and linked with Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) iv) Potential Chinese importers identified and linked with Ugandan exporters and v) Draft agreed minutes with potential investors and relevant Authorities.

The Embassy of the Republic of Uganda will share preferential policies and incentives extended to Chinese Investors in Uganda at the conference.

The Embassy and MDAs in Uganda will further share necessary information and guidance to assist Chinese Investors to invest in Uganda and/or partner with enterprises in Uganda for trade, investment and tourism.