Uganda is positioning itself as a central force in accelerating and deepening intra-East African Community (EAC) trade, according to Oscar Kamukama, Uganda’s Representative to the East African Business Council (EABC) Board of Directors.
Kamukama made the remarks while speaking to this journalist on the sidelines of the 29th Annual General Meeting of the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) held on Tuesday, 25th November 2025, at the Serena Kampala Hotel, Conference Center.
“Uganda’s growth is tied to regional growth. When East Africa trades more with itself, all our economies rise, and Uganda is ready to champion that agenda,” Kamukama said.
Uganda’s Strategic Role in Regional Connectivity
Describing Uganda as a natural economic and logistics hub, Kamukama emphasized the country’s central position in linking trade corridors across Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and South Sudan.
He cited Uganda’s ongoing investments in key transport infrastructure, the digitalization of border processes, and progress on regional railway initiatives as essential steps in reducing the high cost of trade.
“Our role is clear. Uganda is the bridge that keeps East Africa moving. We are modernizing infrastructure and digital systems to ensure goods move faster, cheaper and more reliably across the region,” he stated.
Driving the EAC’s Bold Trade Agenda
Kamukama noted that Uganda continues to push strongly within the EABC for reforms that eliminate bottlenecks and boost competitiveness. Chief among these are the persistent Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs), unaligned product standards, and unpredictable cross-border trade regulations.
“The private sector needs efficiency, not complexity. It needs harmonization, not fragmentation. Uganda is pushing for a regional business ecosystem that enables firms to scale across borders without friction,” he emphasized.
With a market of over 300 million people, he said, East Africa cannot afford regulatory or political hurdles that slow down integration.
Uganda’s Private Sector Rising to the Challenge
Kamukama highlighted that Uganda’s enterprises manufacturers, agribusiness exporters, logistics operators, and service providers are increasingly asserting themselves across the region. Their growing presence in markets such as Kenya, Tanzania, South Sudan, Rwanda, and the DRC demonstrates the country’s expanding capacity and competitiveness.
“Our businesses are competitive. They are innovative. And they are ready to lead. What they require is a unified regional market and that is exactly what we are fighting for at the EABC,” he said.
Opportunities for Ugandan Businessmen and Entrepreneurs
Kamukama emphasized that the current regional environment presents significant, immediate and high-value opportunities for Ugandan entrepreneurs looking to scale beyond national borders.
He pointed to several promising areas:
Agriculture & Agro-processing: With regional food demand rising sharply, Uganda can supply grains, dairy, poultry products, fruits, vegetables, and processed foods to nearby deficit markets such as South Sudan, eastern DRC, and Rwanda.
Manufacturing: Uganda’s growing capacity in steel, cement, packaging, pharmaceuticals, plastics, textiles and fast-moving consumer goods positions local industries to dominate regional value chains.
Logistics & Transport Services: As a transit hub, Uganda offers lucrative prospects in trucking, warehousing, freight forwarding, cold-chain logistics, and e-commerce distribution.
Tourism & Hospitality: The revived single-tourist visa across parts of the region opens opportunities for tour operators, hotel investors and travel service providers to build cross-border packages for regional tourists.
ICT & Digital Services: Uganda’s young tech talent can tap into regional demand for fintech solutions, digital payments, software development, e-learning, and cross-border e-commerce platforms.
Construction & Real Estate: With large-scale reconstruction and infrastructure needs in DRC and South Sudan, Ugandan contractors, engineers, and suppliers have access to fast-growing frontier markets.
Professional Services: Accountants, lawyers, architects, consultants, medical professionals and other specialists can now operate regionally with increasing ease due to mobility protocols.
“The opportunities are not theoretical, they are real, they are accessible, and Ugandan entrepreneurs are already tapping them. What we must do is scale up, formalize, and exploit the full breadth of the EAC market,” Kamukama said.
Calling for a More United, More Competitive EAC
Kamukama reiterated that the EAC’s future will depend on its ability to strengthen internal trade, add value within the region, and build export-ready industries capable of competing globally.
“The time for half-measures is over. East Africa must trade more with itself, create more within itself, and grow faster together. Uganda is not just participating, we are steering this transformation,” he affirmed.
He concluded by reaffirming Uganda’s commitment to working closely with partner states, private sector players and regional institutions to build a more seamless, resilient and opportunity-rich EAC trading environment.
