SCCI mission concludes tour with Sharjah-Uganda Business Forum

The forum was attended by Her Excellency Jessica Alupo, Vice President of the Republic of Uganda, H.E. Abdullah Sultan Al Owais, Chairman of the SCCI, His Excellency Abdalla Hassan Al Shamsi, UAE Ambassador to Uganda, and H.E. Francis Mwebesa, Ugandan Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives. Other notable attendees included Mohammed Rashid Al Dimas and Ali Obaid Al Zaabi, members of the SCCI board of directors, Abdulaziz Mohammed Shattaf, Assistant Director-General of the Communication and Business Sector at the Sharjah Chamber, and representatives of local business communities in Sharjah and Uganda.

Her Excellency Jessica Alupo commended the robust relations between Uganda and the UAE, specifically highlighting her country’s strong ties with Sharjah, which are developing across the board, especially in economic and commercial fields. She reviewed the advantages of Uganda’s economic ecosystem and the promising investment opportunities it offers. The forum, she said, represents a step in the right direction towards stronger bilateral relations in various fields, which will promote economic partnership and advance the ties between the two countries' business communities.

His Excellency Abdullah Sultan Al Owais said the trade mission comes within the context of the Sharjah Chamber's endeavours to strengthen its network of international relations with UAE-friendly countries, and its constant aspirations to explore promising markets. It represents part of the SCCI’s efforts to showcase the advantages and opportunities that come with Sharjah investments, and the incentives and facilities offered by both the Emirate and the Chamber to foreign companies looking to establish businesses in Sharjah and enhance their reach in regional markets.

His Excellency Al Owais said the SCCI-led trade mission to Uganda and Kenya comes at a time when UAE-Uganda relations are flourishing in various economic and commercial sectors. As a result, Ugandan imports from the UAE totalled $810 million in 2022, increasing by 20% per annum over the past five years. Meanwhile, exports from Uganda to the UAE surged from $300 million in 2009 to $1.065 billion in 2021.

For his part, His Excellency Abdalla Hassan Al Shamsi highlighted the ongoing development of UAE-Uganda relations, noting that the commercial exchange between the two countries increased from $200 million in 2017 to more than $3 billion in 2022. He also stressed the role that the SCCI trade mission plays in furthering trade and economic ties between the two countries.

During the forum, the trade mission presented the investment opportunities offered by the Emirate of Sharjah in various economic and commercial sectors, shedding light on the exceptional attributes of the Emirate, its economic and tourism potential, its state-of-the-art infrastructure, sophisticated logistical services, flexible investment legislation, and other attractive incentives for major investments. In turn, the Ugandan officials highlighted their country's favourable investment opportunities in various sectors such as infrastructure, agriculture, tourism, and construction. At the conclusion of the forum, His Excellency Abdullah Sultan Al Owais and His Excellency Abdalla Hassan Al Shamsi honoured Her Excellency Jessica Alupo, Vice President of the Republic of Uganda.

Over the course of five days, the trade mission held a number of bilateral meetings and working sessions organised by the Sharjah Exports Development Centre for delegation members, including representatives of industrial and commercial companies, and their Kenyan and Ugandan counterparts. The delegation, accompanied by a number of businessmen, also visited several Kenyan and Ugandan companies to learn about their activities, services, and products.