SHARJAH: The East Africa trade mission, which is organised by the Sharjah Exports Development Center considered to be a part of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), concluded its three-day visit to the Ugandan capital of Kampala on Tuesday before moving on the next day to the Kenyan capital of Nairobi as part of its African tour, which is being organised for the third year in a row.

The trade mission, organised by the SCCI, in cooperation with the Department of Economic Development (DED) in Abu Dhabi and the Saudi Export Development Authority, participated in the “UAE-KSA-Uganda Trade & Investment Conference.”

Close to 60 plus businessmen and investors from the UAE and Saudi Arabia attended the event. A large number of Ugandan government officials, businessmen and investors also participated in the event.

The trade mission, led by Abdullah Sultan Al Owais, Chairman of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), reinforced its network of relations with the Ugandan business community at the Trade and Investment Conference, where it held a number of official meetings, as well as bilateral and group business meetings between the members of the mission and their Ugandan counterparts.

The Sharjah Chamber signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at consolidating the levels of trade exchange, investment and joint ventures between the business communities of both countries. The memorandum included the coordination of efforts to promote mutual investments and opportunities in various economic sectors, as well as the exchange of information and expertise. The memorandum also included joint action to overcome the challenges facing investors and businessmen.

Al Owais discussed ways to strengthen the economic relations between Uganda and the UAE in general and with the Emirate of Sharjah in particular, with a number of ministers and heads of economic and investment organisations in Uganda, such as His Excellency Matia Kasaija, Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development of Republic of Uganda, and Jolly Kamugira Kaguhangire, the Executive Director of the Uganda Investment Authority. He also stated that strengthening these economic relations leads to raising the rates of trade exchange and establishing new and promising investment partnerships between the two sides.

The Ugandan officials highlighted the strength of the relations between Uganda and the UAE, especially after the recent visit of Yoweri Museveni, President of Uganda, to the UAE in November. The president, who led a high-level official government delegation during the visit, met with the leadership of the UAE, which created a new impetus for the relations between the two countries and momentum to further strengthen cooperation at all levels.

Abdullah Al Owais, Chairman of Sharjah Chamber said that the trade mission was organised by Sharjah Exports Development Center in cooperation with Department of Economic Development Abu Dhabi and Saudi Exports Development Authority.