Kampala, Uganda – Ugandan Missions abroad have been urged to strengthen inter-agency coordination with stakeholders at home in order to deepen the impact of Economic and Commercial Diplomacy (ECD) and consolidate gains already registered under the strategy. The call was made during a three-day review workshop held at Mestil Hotel, jointly organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, to assess Missions’ performance for Financial Year 2024/25 and the half-year performance of FY 2025/26.
Amb. Richard Kabonero, Head of the Regional Economic Cooperation Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, commended Uganda’s Missions abroad, Ministries, Departments and Agencies, as well as private sector actors, for their collective contribution to advancing the ECD agenda. He observed that the review period had registered tangible outcomes, including increased inflows of foreign direct investment, growth in tourist arrivals and progress in technology transfer. However, he noted that significant untapped potential remained and called upon Missions to sharpen their focus, strengthen reporting, and align engagements more strategically with national priorities.
Amb. Kabonero emphasised that effective economic diplomacy depended on structured collaboration between Missions and Kampala-based institutions, particularly in identifying opportunities, responding to market intelligence and following through on investment and trade leads. He underscored the importance of positioning Uganda competitively in a rapidly evolving global economy, where coordinated engagement was essential for expanding exports, attracting quality investment and supporting industrial growth. The workshop also reviewed the resourcing of the ECD initiative. Special funding for Missions had been introduced in FY 2024/25 on a pilot basis for 12 Missions and was subsequently expanded to 22 additional Missions in FY 2025/26. The review sought to assess how these resources had translated into measurable outcomes and to identify areas requiring adjustment to enhance efficiency and impact.
Ms. Theresa Namwach, Assistant Commissioner for Public Administration at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, acknowledged the progress made by Missions and line MDAs in implementing the ECD strategy and the positive effects on the economy. She urged Missions to adhere strictly to approved workplans and stressed the need for stronger coordination with Kampala-based MDAs to ensure accountability. She further reminded Accounting Officers that future ECD funding would be results-based, with stronger-performing Missions eligible for increased support, while underperforming ones risked reductions in their resource envelopes. Over the three days, Accounting Officers from Missions abroad interfaced with ECD line MDAs to review performance, identify gaps and agree on corrective strategies. Participating institutions included MTIC, MAAIF, the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, UTB, UFZEPA, URA, UNBS, UIA and SEATINI-Uganda.
Since its launch in August 2025, the ECD Strategy has equipped 34 Missions to promote trade, tourism, foreign direct investment and technology transfer, contributing to the Government’s Tenfold Growth Strategy to expand Uganda’s economy from USD 50 billion to USD 500 billion by 2040. The five-year objectives of ECD included increasing export value and FDI by 30 percent, enhancing value addition through science and innovation partnerships, and raising tourist arrivals from key source markets by 20 percent.
