Summary:
- VP Alupo encouraged the delegation to leverage this partnership to enhance Uganda’s national trade volumes, aiming to narrow the China-Uganda trade deficit and achieve a more balanced bilateral exchange.
KAMPALA: On Saturday, Vice President Maj. (Rtd) Jessica Alupo ceremoniously launched a high-powered delegation from the Busoga Development Consortium’s trip to China.
The delegation, set to depart on July 3rd, will visit Liaoning Province between July 3rd and July 6th to forge cooperation between the Busoga Consortium for Development (BCD) and Liaoning Province of China.
During the flag-off ceremony, VP Alupo encouraged the delegation to leverage this partnership to enhance Uganda’s national trade volumes, aiming to narrow the China-Uganda trade deficit and achieve a more balanced bilateral exchange.
She emphasized the importance of focusing on bilateral trade and investment as crucial avenues for mutually beneficial international relations, ultimately benefiting the Ugandan people.
Leading the delegation were Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga, 1st Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of EAC Affairs, along with His Royal Highness the Kyabazinga of Busoga, William Gabula IV.
“Busoga and Uganda as a whole must build capacity to offer products that can meet the demands of the Chinese market,” Alupo stressed. Given Uganda’s strong agricultural base, she urged the delegation to optimize existing trade links with Liaoning Province by enhancing production capabilities for export to China.
Citing Ministry of Trade and Industry statistics showing Uganda’s bilateral trade with China reaching $1.3 billion last year, Alupo tasked the delegation with attracting Chinese companies to invest in value addition for Ugandan coffee and tea, thereby boosting the economic profile of the Busoga region.
As MP for Katakwi district, Alupo emphasized the importance of collaboration among the Busoga Kingdom, faith-based institutions, and government agencies to ensure grassroots communities benefit maximally from these initiatives.
“We need to promote capacity building and foster a shift from subsistence to commercially viable enterprises. Embracing ICT for business, registering trading companies, and basic accounting practices are critical steps,” she asserted.
Highlighting four key sectors—commercial agriculture, manufacturing, services, and ICT—as pivotal for job creation and wealth generation, Alupo urged the delegation to explore these sectors in their engagements with China to foster transformative outcomes for Ugandans.
She commended the Busoga Development Consortium for its significant contributions to the socio-economic development of Uganda.
Representing Rt. Hon. Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, the Patron of BDC, at the ceremony in Kampala, Rt. Hon. Rukia Nakadama, the 3rd Deputy Prime Minister, announced that the Uganda-Busoga delegation would sign a five-year cooperation agreement with Liaoning Province and Guangdong Province, focusing on education, trade, commerce, tourism promotion, and agriculture, among other sectors.
Nakadama, who chairs the Busoga Consortium Ministerial Coordination Committee, emphasized the strategic importance of these agreements for fostering inclusive development across the region.
