Hundreds of investors gathered at hotel Africana on 23rd June 2016 to network and identify key investment opportunities in the country. Keynote speaker, former finance minister, Hon. Maria Kiwanuka emphasized the need for the Private sector to partner with government to create a sustainable investment partnership that will lead to the national development of the country.
She thanked UIA and its partners for organizing the Investment week forum, recognized the products exhibited and encouraged exportation to the outside markets. With the theme provided i.e. “investments sustaining the national development growth in Uganda” she asserted that money knows no nationality so investors are both local and international. Local investors need help to feel at home with UIA. She added that UIA is there for everybody not just the foreign investor and encouraged the private sector to discuss their challenges with UIA. “A challenge not discussed cannot be solved.”
Investment is development with no separations; we all have to work together in this new mediocrity to beat the rising interest rates, the depressed export demand, the slowdown in the economic development of china and slow productivity growth, we need to rediscover where Uganda’s natural advantage lies compared to East Africa and show what Uganda is good at. She said.
The private sector financial community is funding 18% either financially or through taxes. UIA at 25years was established in September 1991 as a government agency to promote Uganda as an investment destination and promote and facilitate private sector investment and advocate for appropriate investment policies for government making it the bedrock of this investment forum
The past 25years of UIA’s existence accord us as a country and it’s a very important opportunity to reflect on what we have managed to achieve over this period as well as the economic transformation over the years since 1991. She tasked UIA to use the lessons learnt to design a cost effective road map in the new global economy.