Uganda committed to facilitating Indian investments: Envoy

Uganda is committed to facilitating Indian investments and strengthening economic cooperation, High Commissioner of the Republic of Uganda to India, Joyce Kakuramatsi Kikafunda, said here on Monday as she underscored strong bilateral relations. The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), in partnership with the Uganda High Commission in India, organised the India-Uganda Business Forum in Ahmedabad, bringing together senior government officials, business leaders and industry representatives from both countries to explore avenues for enhanced trade, investment and sectoral collaboration. Addressing the forum, Kikafunda asked Indian companies to leverage Uganda's investor-friendly policies and growing market opportunities. She said Uganda was committed to facilitating Indian investments and strengthening economic cooperation. She also shared that Uganda is set to become an oil-producing country in July 2026 and encouraged greater investments in the sector. Speaking on the occasion, CII Gujarat State Council Chairman Achal Bakeri said that Africa remains a strategic focus for the Indian industry, adding that India and Uganda share a long-standing and cordial relationship anchored in historical ties, people-to-people connections and shared democratic values. He underlined CII's role in facilitating India-Africa business engagement through platforms such as the CII India-Africa Conclave and the upcoming India-Africa Business Forum and Exhibition scheduled during the India-Africa Forum Summit in May in New Delhi. Bakeri also highlighted Uganda's strategic location as a gateway to the East African community and the wider African market. The business forum featured a series of focused presentations by senior Ugandan officials and industry representatives, highlighting investment and collaboration opportunities across priority sectors. These included agriculture and agro-processing, food security, energy, mining and natural resources, free zones and export promotion, aviation connectivity, and Uganda's long-term development strategy. The session also showcased Uganda's efforts towards industrialisation, digital transformation and sustainable development. A report on 'Future Pathways for India-Uganda Trade and Investment Opportunities,' jointly published by the CII and the Uganda High Commission, was also launched on the occasion.