Middle East top destination for Uganda’s exports—report
This growth was primarily driven by higher earnings from mineral products, coffee, electricity, tobacco, cotton, tea, flowers and maize, among others.
This growth was primarily driven by higher earnings from mineral products, coffee, electricity, tobacco, cotton, tea, flowers and maize, among others. (File photo)
Umar Kashaka
Journalist @New Vision
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The Middle East emerged as the biggest destination of Uganda’s exports, accounting for 32.9% of the total market share in January 2025, the latest report by the ministry of finance shows.
The report on the performance of the economy for February 2025, which was released on Wednesday (March 19), indicates that within the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates accounted for 97.7% of Uganda’s exports to the region.
Other notable destinations for Uganda’s exports were the East African Community (EAC), which accounted for 27.4%, the European Union (16.9%), Asia (14.8%) and the Rest of Africa (4.0%).
Within the European Union, Italy, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands accounted for close to 90% of exports to the region while within the EAC, DR Congo emerged as the largest importer of Uganda’s merchandise, taking up 33.4% ($78.61m) of total exports.
The report says this was followed by South Sudan at 27.1% ($63.80m) and Kenya at 21.6% ($50.87m).
Uganda’s export earnings increased by 16.6% from $736.81m (sh2.7 trillion) in December 2024 to $859.22m (sh3.1 trillion) in January 2025.
This growth was primarily driven by higher earnings from mineral products, coffee, electricity, tobacco, cotton, tea, flowers and maize, among others.
Similarly, exports excluding coffee and mineral products increased by 18.1% from $320.79m (sh1.1 trillion) to $378.87m (sh1.3 trillion), signaling a rise in the majority of Uganda exports in January.