The governments of Kenya and Uganda have announced plans to cement their trade relations on opportunities around import and export of agricultural related products.
Uganda’s Consul General in Mombasa Paul Mukumbya revealed the plans and said the partenership will take place during the Kenya-Uganda Agri-Business Symposium and Exhibition Expo slated for September 8 and 9. Mombasa County in Kenya will play host to the event.
The expo, whose theme is, ‘Unlocking the full potential of Agri-business to enhance export performance for national development’, is expected to bring together over 50 exhibitors from Kenya, Uganda and other parts of the world.
Abilities to attract investors
The Kenyan National Chambers of Commerce has partnered together with Mombasa County government and the Uganda Consulate in Mombasa to organize the event. Mr. Mukumbya said the event will be a platform for the two nations to showcase their products in agribusiness.
“Our biggest trading partners in Kenya, and it is in light of this that we have organized for this symposium, which focuses on Agribusiness because most of our exports to Kenya are agricultural products including maize and milk products,” said Mukumbya.
During the expo, Kenyan and Ugandan traders will get to learn on issue of quality, post-harvesting handling of agricultural products. It will give the two countries an opportunity to leverage on their advantages and expose their abilities to attract investors.
Economic Survey
“This symposium will give us a great opportunity to get a platform to leverage our advantages and showcase our different interests in agriculture and agri-business to the world so that we can attract investors especially in the private sector to set shop in our respective countries,” said Kingi.
According to Kenya’s Economic Survey 2019, the value of imports from Uganda to Kenya rose to Sh49.4 billion in 2018 from Sh17.5 billion in 2014 on account of increased imports of maize, animal feeds, milk and sugar.
Agriculture has remained a major driver of economic growth in both countries and has been a dominant source for employment. In Uganda, the Agriculture sector accounts for over 24 percent of their GDP and generates more than half of the country’s export earnings at 54 percent according to IMF and World Bank reports of 2019.
