Uganda Business Council in Dubai

Uganda Business Council (UBC) aims to further strengthen trade and business ties between Uganda and Dubai

T o further promote trade and business between Dubai and Uganda a special Uganda Business Council has been established under the auspices of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI).

Abdulrahman Ghanem Al Mutaiwee, Director-General of Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI) praised the Ugandan initiative saying that the Government of Uganda has played an instrumental role in the formation of the Uganda Business Council in Dubai. The Chamber will not only work closely with the Uganda Business Council but will also support any step towards the establishment of a Ugandan Trade Centre in Dubai, he said while speaking at a special ceremony held at DCCI to celebrate the launching of the Ugandan Business Council (UBC). Also present at the ceremony was Nathan Nabeta, Uganda's Minister of State for Trade, Fox Odoi, senior legal advisor to Uganda's President as well as other high ranking officials from Uganda.

Mutaiwee emphasised the necessity of signing the Agreement of Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Agreement of Investment Protection between Uganda and UAE for further enhancing the levels of understanding and mutual cooperation.

"We hope that the Uganda Business Council will achieve its objectives by further promoting the businesses of its members in trading, manufacturing and professional services fields," he said. "I am confident that the Uganda Business Council (UBC) will work towards strengthening cooperation between its members and the business community in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates," he added.

"Dubai is not only a trading hub in the Middle East but also a centre for the exhibition industry, hosting many international specialist and diversified exhibitions in the Middle East," he said.

He also announced intentions of holding a UAE trade exhibition in Kampala, Uganda as a part of its policy to expand Dubai's trade with East Africa. "Being the hub of business and trade in the Middle East, Dubai is in good position to promote the Ugandan products and services all over its markets that reach to more than 1.5 billion potential consumers in the world through its re-exports," he said.

The Ugandan Minister, Nabeta pointed out the advantages of the geographical location of his country to express how vital is to extend its trade and business links with Dubai. "Uganda is located on the Equator and is the source of River Nile. It is served by the Kenyan seaport of Mombassa and the Tanzanian seaport of DaresSalam. Goods travel by both road and railway to reach Uganda," he explained. "The country has daily flights with Emirates Airlines connecting Entebbe and Dubai. There is also air connection by a number of other airlines i.e. Ethiopian, KLM/Kenya airways, South African Airways and East African Airways."

Nabeta pointed out that Uganda together with Kenya and Tanzania formed a customs union which has a population of 100 million people. "This has greatly increased on the size of market for businesses operating from Uganda as it gives them easy access to a number of countries in the interior of central Africa. Uganda is also a member of COMESA - which brings together 19 African countries with a combined population of 400 million people. The easy access to these markets is an attraction for one to locate his business operations in Uganda," he said.