UGANDA – ETHIOPIA BUSINESS FORUM RAISES KEEN INTEREST IN COOPERATION
(Posted 29th November 2019)
Earlier today did delegations from the chambers of commerce and industry in Uganda and Ethiopia come together for a half day business forum, facilitated by the Ethiopian Embassy in Kampala.
The Ethiopian Ambassador to Uganda, H.E. Alemtsehay Meseret opened the proceedings, thanking a full room for their attendance and keen interest to help operationalize agreements signed a year ago when Ethiopian Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed visited Uganda.
Keynote speakers from the Ugandan side were Mrs. Olive Kigongo, President of the Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Prof. Dr. Maggie Kigozi while from the Ethiopian side the President of the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce Eng. Melaku Ezezew gave a grand overview of business opportunities in Ethiopia for investors.
The interactive sessions brought about many questions from Ugandan traders, raising the challenges they encountered and seeking solutions.
While both countries broadly engage in a range of economic activities which overlap did tourism come out as one sector which makes both countries’ attractions complementing each other with Uganda offering wildlife, nature based and adventure based tourism attractions while Ethiopia with nearly a dozen UNESCO World Heritage Sites offers one of Africa’s greatest varieties of cultural and historical sites.
Notably present were also the Ethiopian Airlines current and former country managers, Mrs. Aziza Mohammed and Mr. Abebe Angessa, who after his recent retirement set up an aviation consulting company in Uganda, Combined Aviation Services. Ethiopian Airlines links Addis Ababa with Entebbe five times a day, with one each flight also connecting via Juba and Goma.
While on the previous day the delegation from Ethiopia also paid a courtesy call on Uganda’s President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni did today end with a Gala Dinner for both delegations and invited guests from Uganda’s business community.
