The Italian presence in Uganda is highly recognized and appreciated. It has been a multiplier for trade relations, in which infrastructure has traditionally been the most privileged sector.
Although the value of the Italian direct investments (joint ventures, investments and acquisitions) in Uganda is still limited, the Country’s political and economic indicators appear, at the moment, particularly promising for the Italian companies. The trade exchange between Italy and Uganda is growing steadily (plus 45% in the last three years).
At the moment, the sectors which appear to offer greater opportunities for our entrepreneurial system, in particular for the small and medium-sized enterprises, include: Oil and its induct; Renewable energy; Tourism; Civil and Road Works; Drilling of wells; Mechanics and Joinery; Catering and Accommodation; Business-related activities (groceries, coffee, lifts, aluminium joinery, woodworking machinery, marble and granite).
East Africa has emerged in area with higher development rate in sub-Saharan Africa. This has created a conducive environment for the access of new Italian companies in an internal and regional markets in expansion and integration: in particular, Ugandan membership to the East African Community (characterized by increasing customs and taxation integration, regulations and factors of production and by a project of monetary integration to be achieved in the next five years), opens the door to a wider market of over 150 million consumers in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan.
The Embassy actively collaborates with the EU Delegation in Uganda and with the other Embassies of the EU Member States in the economic diplomacy initiative “Sustainable Business for Uganda Platform” (SB4U) https://sb4uplatform.com/. The initiative has a twofold objective: on the one hand, to collect the policy requests and the critical issues reported by European entrepreneurs (for example, restrictions on trade), encouraging dialogue with the local authorities; on the other, creating business forums and other opportunities for European and local realities to meet.
The Embassy in Kampala cooperates with the Trade Office (ICE) in Addis Ababa: Italian Villa-Kebenà-P. O. Box 1105 Addis Ababa, E-mail: addisabeba@ice.it, Tel: (0025) 1.111.235.717. ICE also has a Desk-Uganda within the premises of the Embassy in Kampala. Contacts are the following: Ms. Atuhura M Betty; Email:deskuganda@ice.it.