Uganda - UAE exhibition centre awaits construction

Kampala. State Minister for Investment and privatisation Evelyn Anite, has revealed that an exhibition centre is going to be constructed for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Uganda products.

Speaking during a visit by a trade delegation from the United Arab Emirates on Thursday, Ms Anite said the relationship between the two countries has seen some dividends and an exhibition centre is one of them.
“The biggest dividend is the oil and gas technical school under construction in Jinja and the second dividend is the construction of an exhibition centre that is going to take place around Ntinda,” she said explaining that it will house both locally manufactured products and products from UAE.

Construction of the exhibition centre, Ms Anite said ,is expected to start in January.
News of the exhibition comes barely two months after the two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding to create an agricultural free zone.

Mr Sultan Mohamed Shattaf, director Business Expo centre, said the trade delegation from Sharjah Chamber of Commerce had come to network and meet the Uganda business community.
“We think it is a great opportunity between government of Uganda and the UAE. It is also good to meet the business people here, promote their companies here and those in Sharjah,” he said.

Sharjah is an exhibition and convention centre in a town named Sharjah in UAE where different trade fairs are held.
Uganda has a balance of trade deficit with UAE which currently exports goods worth $659m to her and only imports $444.8m.
This, both the Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda and Sultan Shattaf believe creates opportunities for Ugandans to do business or export goods particularly agricultural produce the Emiratis need.

While inviting the Emiratis to invest in Uganda citing an enabling business environment, Mr Rugunda implored Ugandans to create joint ventures to earn profits and skills transfer.

According to Mr Francis Ntangaaza, the business development manager East Africa Dubai Consultancy, there are opportunities for Ugandans especially in agricultural exports and perhaps real estate zeroing down on cold storage warehousing for safety and freshness of the produce.

Cold storage, Mr Ntagaaza says if incorporated especially by Government and situated in UAE, would cut on freight costs which are currently a major impediment to trade between the two countries.