Cairo, Egypt – The inaugural Uganda Tourism, Coffee & Tea Expo opened at the Royal Maxim Palace Kempinski in Cairo, marking a major step in Uganda’s efforts to expand exports and increase its visibility in the Egyptian market. The two-day event, held from 20th–21st November, showcased Destination Uganda while promoting the country’s premium coffee and tea to Egyptian consumers and businesses.
Organised by the Uganda Embassy in Cairo in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) and the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), the Expo targeted Egypt’s population of more than 110 million a market with heavy consumption of tea and coffee and rising interest in high-end tourism experiences.
During the opening ceremony, Amb. Lt. Gen. Charles Angina, Charge d’Affaires at the Embassy, delivered a presentation highlighting Uganda’s natural beauty and its appeal to tourists, investors, and business communities. The event attracted hundreds of participants, including government officials, diplomats, tour operators, exporters, and private-sector leaders from both countries.
Leaders of Egypt’s business community praised the growing partnership. Dr. Yousrey Elsekawi, Chairperson of the Egypt Africa Business Association (EABA), urged Egyptian companies to seize investment opportunities in Uganda. Senior Presidential Advisor on investment, Mr. Mostafa El Gendy, commended Uganda’s welcoming investment climate. Also present were the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Cairo, H.E. Dr. Mohamadou Labarang, the Chair of the Arab Business Association, and leaders of Uganda’s diaspora community.
Amb. Angina emphasised that Uganda aims to translate its excellent bilateral relations with Egypt into concrete trade and investment outcomes. Throughout the Expo, Ugandan exhibitors were scheduled to hold B2B engagements with Egyptian buyers and distributors to secure long-term partnerships in coffee and tea exports.
Trade between the two countries reached US$141 million in 2023, Uganda exporting US$32 million worth of goods such as coffee, tea, dairy, spices, and tobacco, while importing iron and steel, plastics, cereals, pharmaceuticals, and sugar from Egypt. Ugandan exports to Egypt have grown at an annual rate of 25% since 2018.
The Expo followed President Yoweri K. Museveni’s August 2025 working visit to Cairo, where he and President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi witnessed the signing of cooperation agreements in agro-processing, manufacturing, mining, energy, and pharmaceuticals.
Amb. Angina reaffirmed that Egypt remains a key opportunity for Uganda’s tourism promotion, noting that Egypt’s 16 million tourists offer a significant source market. Counselor Allan Tazenya added that the Embassy plans to make the Expo an annual event as part of Uganda’s wider Economic and Commercial Diplomacy strategy, which supports the national goal of expanding the economy from US$50 billion to US$500 billion by 2040.
