Museveni to address IATF session in Kampala

                                                              Museveni
President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda will deliver a keynote address to kick off a stakeholder engagement event being hosted by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) in Kampala on Monday to promote the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF).

 The Trade Fair, organised by Afreximbank, in collaboration with the African Union, and hosted by the Government of Egypt, will take place in Cairo from 11 to 17 December.

 The stakeholder engagement event, is being organized in collaboration with the Uganda Export Promotion Board and will be held under the theme “Strategy to Deepen Uganda–Africa Trade”. It will feature high-powered panel discussion exploring ways of increasing the level of trade between Uganda and the rest of Africa.

Participating in the panel will be Stephen Kauma, Afreximbank’s Director and Global Head for Human Resources; Charles Oleny Ojok, Secretary General, Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Dr. Samuel Sejaaka, Partner, SNG Sejaaka, Kawaase & Company (SNG Africa Group); and Mr. Gideon Badagawa, Executive Director, Private Sector Foundation, Uganda.

They will be joined by Felix Okoboi, Chairman, Board of Directors, Uganda Development Bank Limited; Gideon Badagawa, Executive Director, Private Sector Foundation Uganda; and Dr. Fred Muhumuza, an Academician.

The discussion, scheduled for the Speke Resort and Conference Centre, Munyonyo, will look at ways of unlocking the intra-regional trade and investment potentials of Uganda.

The event will also feature a keynote address by Amelia Kyambadde, Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives of Uganda.

Outlining the motivation for the IATF, Dr. Benedict Oramah, President of Afreximbank, said, “Intra-African trade accounts for only 15 percent of Africa’s total trade. In Europe the figure is 67 percent. We, therefore, need to develop industrialization in Africa, increase intra-African trade, and no longer depend on export of raw materials. We need to create more value-added and diversified exports”.

The IATF, which is expected to attract more than 1,000 exhibitors at the Egypt International Exhibition Centre in Cairo, will provide a platform for sharing trade, investment and market information. It will enable buyers and sellers, investors and countries to meet, discuss and conclude business deals and will also provide an opportunity for exhibitors to showcase their goods and services and engage in business-to-business exchanges.

The IATF is the first trade fair of its kind in Africa and has the Africa Trade Policy Centre, Afrochampions Initiative; International Trade Centre; and Pan African Chamber of Commerce and Industry as partners.