Uganda will hold the 5th UAE–Uganda Business Forum in the United Arab Emirates from October 26 to 29, 2026, as the two countries seek to convert growing trade and investment relations into new business deals and partnerships.
Uganda’s Ambassador to the UAE, Zaake Wanume Kibedi, announced the forum, which will be held across Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and Fujairah.
The forum is expected to bring together senior government officials, business leaders, investors, financial institutions, chambers of commerce and other private-sector stakeholders from Uganda and the UAE.
Kibedi said the event would focus on moving beyond diplomatic discussions to securing concrete investments, export opportunities, commercial partnerships and jobs.
“The success of this Forum will ultimately be measured not only by the number of meetings held, but by the contracts signed, investments secured, exports generated, partnerships established and jobs created as a result of the engagements,” Kibedi said.
Key sectors targeted
The forum will focus on agriculture and agro-processing, trade and exports, investment, mining and minerals, tourism, infrastructure, energy, logistics and air cargo, manufacturing, financial services and technology.
Kibedi said Uganda would use the forum to showcase its investment and export potential while connecting Ugandan businesses with UAE investors, buyers and strategic partners.
The planned programme follows growing engagement between Uganda and the UAE. In July, Kibedi presented preliminary plans for the October business forum to the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which expressed readiness to facilitate business matchmaking with the Sharjah business community.
Ugandan officials say bilateral trade has grown sharply in recent years. The Ugandan Embassy in Abu Dhabi says trade increased from about $600 million in 2018 to approximately $4.7 billion, although earlier official figures put 2025 trade at $2.85 billion as of September. The differing figures reflect different reporting periods and definitions of trade.
UAE investment in Uganda has also expanded significantly. Uganda’s Foreign Affairs Ministry reported in 2025 that UAE investments in sectors including energy, infrastructure, agribusiness, oil and gas, manufacturing, real estate and tourism had reached about $3.5 billion.
The Ugandan Embassy currently says more than 160,000 Ugandans live and work in the UAE, highlighting the importance of the Gulf state beyond trade and investment.
Government wants more private-sector participation
Ambassador Henry Mayega, Head of International Economic Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said moving the business forum to the UAE was intended to expose Ugandan businesses directly to investors and markets in the Gulf.
The forum is also being positioned within Uganda’s wider ambition to expand its economy under the Government’s Tenfold Growth Strategy, which targets a $500 billion economy by 2040.
The fourth UAE–Uganda Business Forum, held in Kampala in October 2025, attracted more than 300 delegates and produced several business-to-business and government-to-business engagements. Among the reported outcomes were proposed investments in airport facilities and infrastructure partnerships around Jinja and Port Bell.
Kibedi said the fifth edition would build on that momentum by strengthening economic and commercial diplomacy, including market intelligence, business matchmaking and support for Ugandan companies seeking access to international markets.
He urged Ugandan businesses, exporters, investors, financial institutions and government agencies to participate actively in the four-day programme.
“We believe that the 5th Edition of the Business Forum will further elevate these relations from cooperation to greater trade, investment and shared prosperity,” he said.
The forum comes as the UAE increasingly features in Uganda’s strategy to attract capital, expand exports and connect domestic producers to wider Middle Eastern and global markets.