UAE’s envoy Abdalla Hassan AlShamsi in a meeting with Anita Among, the Speaker of the Uganda Parliament
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I The United Arab Emirates (UAE) envoy to Uganda has refuted reports claiming that his country has imposed a visa ban on Ugandan nationals, Habari Daily can confirm.
Abdalla Hassan AlShamsi, the head of mission and UAE ambassador to Uganda, said there has been no official communication regarding such a ban.
Speaking to the press early on Friday, the envoy said that reports circulating on social media are a sham.
“Those reports circulating the media right now are false,” he said without expounding on whether his country was deliberating on imposing a visa ban due to the recent BBC investigation which uncovered a disturbing case involving Charles Mwesigwa, a Ugandan national allegedly running a sexual exploitation ring involving Ugandan women in Dubai.
Mwesigwa told the BBC undercover reporter that he could provide women for sex parties at a minimum fee of $1,000.
The UAE has in the past imposed temporary restrictions on visa issuance to Ugandans. In 2022, it suspended the issuance of 30-day visit visas to Ugandans and citizens from 20 other countries.
PS’s take
The Permanent secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vincent Bagiire, earlier told this publication that that the government has not received any formal communication from the UAE regarding changes in visa policy for Ugandans.
“No official communication had been received from Abu Dhabi about any suspension of tourist or work visas. I wonder where the speculation is coming from,” he said.
The clarification comes as concern was rising among Ugandan migrant workers and travelers who feared losing access to one of the country’s top labour and business destinations.
Over 100,000 Ugandans are legally employed in the UAE, primarily in domestic service, retail and hospitality sectors.
What is at stake?
The reports risk jarpodising Uganda UAE relations, which are at their peak right now.
UAE is one of Uganda’s top trading partners, with gold exports exceeding $1 billion annually and making the Gulf state Uganda’s largest single export destination. Uganda imports machinery, textiles and IT equipment worth more than $300 million a year from Dubai and other emirates.
UAE has also become Uganda’s major source of foreign direct investment, with Emirati investment includes projects such as the planned Kidepo International Airport and a stake in Uganda’s upcoming oil refinery.
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