Zaake Kibedi, Uganda’s Ambassador to the UAE
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I Uganda and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are preparing for the fifth edition of the UAE–Uganda Business Forum, scheduled to run from October 6 to 29, 2026, in a move aimed at converting the rapidly expanding bilateral relationship into more trade, investment and business opportunities.
The flagship forum will be held across Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and Fujairah, bringing together senior government officials, business leaders, investors, financial institutions, chambers of commerce and other stakeholders from the two countries.
Uganda’s Ambassador to the UAE, Zaake Kibedi, said the forum comes at a time when the UAE has become Uganda’s leading global market destination, with commercial ties expanding sharply over the past decade.
Trade between Uganda and the UAE reached US$4.7 billion in 2025, compared with US$2.7 billion in 2024 and only US$600 million in 2018.
Kibedi said the growth in trade has been matched by a significant increase in investment, with foreign direct investment from the UAE to Uganda rising from about US$300 million in 2018 to US$3.5 billion in 2025.
The UAE has also become a major destination for Ugandans, with more than 150,000 Ugandans living there by 2025, up from approximately 50,000 in 2018.
“The UAE has become an increasingly important partner for Uganda in trade, investment, tourism, infrastructure, logistics, agriculture, energy and other sectors,” Kibedi said.
He said the fifth edition is intended to move beyond discussions and generate tangible economic outcomes through business transactions, investment commitments, partnerships and new market-access opportunities.
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.
According to Kibedi, one of the key objectives is to position Uganda as a competitive investment and business destination while linking Ugandan producers and exporters with investors, buyers and strategic partners in the UAE and the wider Gulf region.
The forum will also provide a platform for Uganda’s diplomatic mission to strengthen economic and commercial diplomacy by identifying investment opportunities, conducting market intelligence, facilitating business matchmaking and supporting Ugandan enterprises seeking to penetrate international markets.
Kibedi said particular emphasis would be placed on private-sector participation, arguing that the ultimate measure of the forum should be the economic opportunities generated after the meetings.
“We are particularly keen to see increased participation by the private sector,” he said, adding that the success of the 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.”
He called on Ugandan businesses, investors, exporters, financial institutions, government agencies and other stakeholders to participate actively and exploit the opportunities presented by the UAE market.
The Ambassador also appealed to the media and other stakeholders to help create awareness about the forum and showcase Uganda’s investment and export potential to UAE investors and business partners.
With trade, investment and people-to-people links expanding rapidly, organisers believe the fifth edition of the UAE–Uganda Business Forum could mark another important step in transforming the countries’ growing relationship into concrete economic benefits.
“The UAE–Uganda relationship is built on strong and growing ties,” Kibedi said, expressing confidence that the forum would elevate bilateral relations from cooperation to greater trade, investment and shared prosperity.
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