Give private-sector exporting firms timely support, govt told

KAMPALA - Uganda’s Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development (PACEID) chairperson Odrek Rwabwogo says private-sector exporting firms should be given all the support they need promptly.

He made the call on Thursday (May 15, 2025) at the release of the 2024/25 PACEID annual performance report at the Sheraton Kampala Hotel.

The report was released in the presence of a cross-section of stakeholders: Exporters, policymakers, regulators, development partners, private sector actors, and the media.

“The key issue now is co-ordination with all key partners in the government ministries and departments to give private sector exporting firms all the support they need on time. This is because to change anything is to abandon what worked yesterday to reach for something higher,” he said.

Rwabwogo, also the senior presidential advisor on special duties, noted that this (abandoning what worked yesterday) is part of the attitude and cultural change they all need to get it right.

“We can do it if we stick together on what matters in exports and industry for Uganda,” he said.

PACEID, which was commissioned in March 2022 by President Yoweri Museveni, is co-ordinated by the Office of the President.

Rwabwogo revealed that in the year ending this March, PACEID had over $460m (about shillings 1.682 trillion) worth of export orders, some carried over from 2023, but they supplied no more than 5%.

“It has been an atrociously slow process to answer customer inquiries from outside; the food safety standards organisation we thought would be handled in 2024 didn’t happen,” he said.

The PACEID chief also said their partner institution in supporting the underwriting of export orders has had more than 41 firms on its books, but they have not yet covered the first 20 so far, as they close the year from March 2023 to March 2025.

He asked why the pace of things is slow in Uganda. “Is it a lack of skill, money, or simply a bad attitude and an irresponsible culture towards targets? This question has bothered us,” he said.

The report says PACEID established a six-step roasted coffee and other products export model from Uganda to Serbia, aiming to increase value, volume, processing, assembly of equipment and create employment, while reducing logistics costs.

“Serbia opened a warehouse for Ugandan products in the southern city of Nis. We have established two locations to promote Uganda coffee consumption,” it says.

The report also says Ani Charles Bassey-Eyo was appointed as Uganda’s Trade Representative to Nigeria in December 2024 and that Uganda aims to ship the first consignment to the West African country under the African Continental Free Trade Area protocols and establish a trade hub in Lagos by quarter four this year.

PACEID also appointed Victor Zhang as Uganda’s Trade Representative to South China in June 2024 and his role is market development, ensuring conformity with product standards, and supporting trade agreements.

Uganda’s exports to the UK grew by 22% in 2024, driven by premium vegetables and pre-processed foods.

“PACEID is working to meet this demand, keep the momentum on the media and communication on this market, and despite supply challenges. We plan to establish a trade hub in October 2025,” the report says.