Kampala, Uganda – On November 5 , Hon. John Mulimba, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in Charge of Regional Affairs, received H.E. Ahmed Mohammed Abdulrahman Abdullah Al Zwaidi, Ambassador-designate of the State of Qatar to Uganda, who presented copies of his credentials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Ambassador-designate Al Zwaidi officially announced Qatar’s decision to establish a Resident Embassy in Kampala, reflecting the seriousness with which Qatar views its bilateral relationship with Uganda. “It is an honor to be appointed the first Resident Ambassador to Uganda,” he stated. Until now, the Qatari Embassy to Uganda operated non-resident from Nairobi.

Hon. Mulimba welcomed the move, describing it as a testament to growing bilateral relations. He also congratulated Qatar on the recently concluded 2nd Uganda-Qatar Business Forum (October 2025), emphasizing the importance of translating diplomatic relations into tangible economic partnerships.

Over the past decade, Uganda’s exports to Qatar have grown from USD 20M to USD 34M, while Qatar’s exports to Uganda increased from USD 17M to USD 26M. Hon. Mulimba highlighted potential areas for expanded collaboration, including agro-processing, tourism, manufacturing, minerals, oil and gas, and technology transfer in science and innovation. He noted that the presence of Resident Ambassadors in both countries is expected to multiply trade volumes further.

Ambassador-designate Al Zwaidi reaffirmed Qatar’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties, including signing several MoUs in trade, diplomacy, and other key sectors, and highlighted the increase of direct flights from Qatar to Entebbe from one to two daily, facilitating enhanced trade and mobility.

This historic step underscores the deepening partnership between Uganda and Qatar, laying a strong foundation for economic growth, diplomatic collaboration, and people-to-people connections.