Indian business delegation completes successful visit to Uganda.

A 30-member delegation led by Mr. Dammu Ravi, Secretary for Economic Relations in the Ministry of External Affairs and comprising leading Indian companies from the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) visited Uganda from 8^th – 9^th April 2024.

Mr. Dammu Ravi and his delegation were received at Entebbe International Airport by Amb. Elly Kamahungye Kafeero (Ag. Director for Regional and International Economic Affairs), Amb. Joyce Kakuramatsi Kikafunda (Uganda’s High Commissioner to India), Amb. Upender Singh Rawat (India’s High Commissioner to Uganda) and other senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The high-level visit, which was aimed at exploring new areas for collaborations and creating mutually beneficial partnerships, came hard on the heels of the visit by Ms. Suja K. Menon, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of External Affairs of India in charge of Lines of Credit.

The multisectoral business delegation visited National Crop Resources Research Institute (NACCRI) to acquaint themselves with developments in Uganda’s agricultural research sector and seek to establish business linkages with India’s Premier Institutes in Agricultural Research and Allied Industries like the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR), the National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) and the Indian Institute of Millet Research (IIMR), among others.

Thereafter, the delegation visited Brookside Dairy Uganda Ltd, one of the leading producers of Milk and Dairy products. India reigns supreme as the world's undisputed champion of milk production, contributing a staggering 24% of the global total and has advanced production, cold storage, transport and processing systems from which entities like Brookside Dairy can benefit.

Mr. Dammu Ravi and the India Government delegation held fruitful discussions on matters of mutual bilateral and multilateral interest with Hon. Matia Kasaija (Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development) and Hon. Henry Okello Oryem (Minister of State for Foreign Affairs – International Affairs) during a meeting on 9^th April 2024 at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.

The visiting delegation later joined the local business community for the Uganda – India Business Conclave organized under the theme “Investing in Uganda – A gateway to Opportunity”

In light of the strong relations between the two countries, the business conclave attracted high level participation from key sectors including Hon. Frank K. Tumwebaze (Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries), Hon. Evelyn Anite (Minister of State for Privatization and Investment) and Mr. Robert Mukiza (Director General Uganda Investment Authority).

The climax of the conclave was the signing of 2 MoUs between;

1. Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
2. Indian Business Forum Uganda and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

This visit is expected to enhance public sector cooperation and boost private sector led development in the key strategic areas of Agro- Industrialization, Mineral development, Land and Water Management, Sustainable Energy Development, Digital Transformation and manufacturing as envisaged in the National Development Plan III.