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Globally, there is increased recognition of the diaspora to the development of various countries.

This has compelled many countries to embrace the model of the diaspora units, while others have introduced ministries, such as Kenya, agencies and departments of the diaspora affairs.

India is currently the biggest beneficiary of the diaspora programme and running a big portion of its economy on foreign remittances from its diaspora constituency, making this engagement one of the programmes Uganda should prioritise.

Uganda must set up a strong system to track its diaspora activities and integrate them into the national programme to be able to tap into the many global opportunities.

President Yoweri Museveni has launched programmes, such as Parish Development Model (PDM), Emyooga, Bonna Bagaggawale and NAADS to increase production and export capacity.

There is a strong belief that if the diasporas picked interest in such programmes and uses their exposure at the international markets to add value on the Ugandan raw materials like milk, fish, iron ore, flour, beef and fruits, and sell Ugandan products, this would increase remittances in form of trade.

Africa entered into a trade agreement with the US under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) of May 2000, where Uganda anticipated a bright future. However, we have not utilised this opportunity.

Out of more than 6,500 products lined up for export by African countries to the world market, Uganda has contributed only four products, yet with such a big stride by the President, we hoped that there would be an improvement in household income, increased subsistence production and creation of employment.

President Museveni was reported in the New York Times on September 19, 2002 as saying such an engagement was an economic breakthrough for Uganda since the goods were already available, but only lacked market.

Uganda has been a hub for opportunities and resources that the western world, through companies like the IBEACo., GEACo. and today’s imperialistic companies, have always taken advantage of these resources at our sight. The same are not extinct and can be used to turn around the Third World narrative the same way the West is doing to transform their economies.

Uganda is a hub for minerals, such as gold, iron ore, wolfram, glass and tar, and agricultural raw materials that can be exported as ready food to boost our export muscle and take care of the balance of payment deficits with the good available soil for agriculture and consistent government policy on helping Ugandan farmers.

Uganda has the potential of becoming a first world economy, if we change our minds from politicking and give some attention to production and investment. The Government has liberalised investment opportunities for anybody that wishes to make money. The diaspora should be mobilised into upgrading this arrangement by virtue of their consumer experience abroad in terms of pricing, packaging, branding, quality and target markets in terms of agricultural products.

With professional diasporians like engineers, communicators experts, specialised doctors and lawyers specialised in unique spheres, if mobilised into passing on the skills to other people at home, but also set up structures to employ the skills, this will help to boost the different social sectors.

According to the latest statistics from the Uganda Medical Association, as reported by the citizen East African news, over 2,000, nearly 50% of the registered medical practitioners are plying their trade abroad and if they are met and engaged, they can import back their specialised skill and train more Ugandans.

The amount of money spent by many Ugandans for treatment abroad is really frustrating to a growing economy yet if some doctors can come back and take advantage of this gap, they can make so much money and also keep the would-be repatriated money in the Ugandan economy.

The establishment of the State House Diaspora Unit for direct presidential engagement with the wide diaspora means increased financial remittances, direct local investments and human capital transfers to inspire skilled diaspora professionals into the Ugandan service industry, improve livelihoods through facilitating easy and efficient philanthropic contributions by the diaspora and inspiration of Capital market investments by the diaspora to invest in bonds and treasury bills from the Bank of Uganda.

Another lucrative sector is tourism. One way to engage this sector is by enforcing local tourism because the diasporas are the best people to tell the correct Ugandan story for the world to appreciate the democracy and peace in order for foreigners to visit.

This will inspire increased global appreciation of the beauty of Uganda with unique species in flora and fauna, physical features, food tourism and the weather.

With 1.5 million international arrivals generating 7.75% of Uganda’s GDP in 2018, this contribution can grow to 50%, if the diasporians engage in our hospitality industry. It is also reported that the tourism industry contributed over 6.7% of the national employment in the same year.

The diaspora industry rewards automatically, with one fact that the biggest amount of remittances by the diasporas is done through the social aspect of family ties, which is approximately less than 5% of their earnings.

However, if it is handled well, it can lead to an increase of about 25% of such remittances, through investment of different available opportunities, such as money and technology transfer, innovation, skills development, value addition, health care and pharmacy, industrialisation and communication. Ugandan companies will eventually end up being listed on the stock exchange market and the country will, therefore, boom economically into the middle-income status in a period of two years. Provided there is some level of supervision and follow-up from the created systems since it all works through organisation.

The writers: Mohammed Bagonza is a Senior Presidential Adviser and Head, State House Diaspora Unit; and Henry Wabyona is the Deputy Head Unit and also Private Secretary to the President