Uganda’s private sector leaders are opening the first Uganda Connect Hub in a global experiential brand and marketing drive aimed at boosting Ugandan exports and positioning Uganda as an open and lucrative destination for trade and investment.
Uganda Connect will set up experiential hubs at Entebbe International Airport, Ugandan embassies and in major cities across the world to showcase quality Ugandan products and investment opportunities.
Ron Kawamara from the Uganda Connect Secretariat, said they plan to accelerate Uganda’s penetration of the global export market by creating real life marketplaces for local products in foreign markets.
He noted that in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Uganda Connect will export Uganda to the world by setting up hubs at Ugandan embassies.
“Starting with London, New York, Kazakhstan, and Russia, consumers will access our products and experience Uganda via our proprietary augmented virtual reality technology,” Kawamara said.
Nelson Tugume, the CEO Inspire Africa, said that Uganda Connect, just like IBEACO (Imperial British East African Company Limited), wants to establish areas of influence in Europe, Balkans, Russia, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to be able to disrupt the statusquo in the export market through trade.
This private sector-led initiative comes after President Museveni’s March 28 directive for government to collaborate with leaders in exports to present Uganda and its products in a more attractive way.
“Despite the current stability, safety, and acceleration of Uganda’s economic output and the improved quality of our export products in the last three decades, these are not the dominant perceptions in global source markets. We must work with the private sector to change this narrative. Uganda needs to become more visible as an attractive trade destination. We must provide information about our products and services on a global stage,” said Museveni.
Museveni will officially open the first Uganda Connect Hub in Belgrade, Serbia on July 31, 2023.
The Uganda Connect Hub in Belgrade is focused on seven (7) key export products of coffee, vanilla, cocoa, tea, beef, flowers, banana flour, fruits, and vegetables, as agreed between the governments of Uganda and Serbia.