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3rd UAE Trade Mission Conference opens in Uganda

The 3rd UAE Trade Mission Conference is taking place over two days from Monday 28th November and ending Tuesday 29th November 2016 at the Kampala Sheraton Hotel. The conference was opened by   Hon Matia Kasaija, Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development. In his opening address, Hon Kasaija said ‘the UAE trade missions are of great importance to Uganda because when handled properly, the balance of trade between the two countries can improve’.  He was optimistic that the interaction during the 2-day conference would yield profitable results. He assured participants that the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) was a government One Stop Centre that offers investors all registration and licensing services required to set up a business in Uganda.

Prior to the Minister’s address, Eng. Tobias Karekaho, UIA Board Chairman, called upon the Ugandan businessmen and women to cooperate and share the benefits and some of the experiences that the companies from UAE have. “There is a great chance of Uganda moving forward out of the emboldened benefits from this cooperation.” He said

Mr. Mohammed Rashid Ali, head of the UAE trade delegation, said the business people expected full support from both UAE and Uganda governments. He informed the conference that out of the whole business delegation that visited 2 countries (Kenya and Uganda), 16 member companies came along from UAE with a sole interest in Uganda and they were involved in agro-processing, energy, construction solar and infrastructure.

The delegates raised issues regarding taxation, to which Hon. Kasaija responded by requesting them to send a technical team to Uganda to sit with a team from the various government Ministries, Departments and Agencies so as to listen to their requests and then later come up with mutually beneficial decisions.

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