Denmark, Uganda deepen investment co-operation through State House partnership

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The Government of Uganda and the Kingdom of Denmark have renewed their commitment to deepening trade and investment relations, with a special focus on green growth, agribusiness and private-sector development.

The pledge followed a high-level engagement between the Danish Ambassador to Uganda, Signe Winding-Albjerg, and the head of the State House Investors Protection Unit (SHIPU), Col. Edith Nakalema, held at the unit’s offices in Kampala on November 5, 2025.

The discussions centred on strengthening collaboration between the Danish Embassy and SHIPU to promote responsible and sustainable investments in Uganda, streamline business processes and enhance investor confidence.

“We are trying to get more Danish companies to come and invest in Uganda and trade with Uganda. Sometimes these companies encounter challenges or need assistance, and we are here to explore how we can work with the State House Investment Protection Unit to promote more investments," Winding-Albjerg said. 

The envoy noted that while Uganda remains one of the most attractive investment destinations in East Africa, many foreign firms still struggle with limited access to reliable information, bureaucratic delays, and difficulties understanding legal and registration systems.

“As a company looking to invest, you want to know there’s a clear system, a clear structure, and legal protection,” she added.

She noted that sometimes, companies are challenged simply by difficulties in finding relevant information. "Hopefully, through more collaboration, we can address these issues".

Commitment to protecting investors

Nakalema welcomed the Danish delegation, describing the visit as a sign of growing trust between Uganda and Denmark.

“President Yoweri Museveni instructed me to ensure that everyone who contributes to our national development: Investors, innovators and wealth creators receives full attention, protection, and support from the Government of Uganda,” she said.

Nakalema reaffirmed that Uganda remains one of Africa’s top investment destinations, citing recent global recognitions. Uganda was named Africa’s Best Investment Destination at the 30th Global Annual Investment Meeting (AIM) in Abu Dhabi for the second consecutive year, and was also ranked by Oxford Economics as East Africa’s most attractive economy for investment.

Investors protection portal

During the meeting, the delegation was introduced to Uganda’s Electronic Investors Protection Portal (EIPP), a one-stop online system launched by President Museveni in December 2023 to simplify investor engagement with government.

The portal, accessible at protection.statehouseinvestor.gov.ug, provides verified information, facilitates due diligence, and allows investors to file complaints or seek assistance directly from government agencies.

Joshua Asimwe, the Unit’s IT officer, said the portal enables investors to conduct background checks, raise issues anonymously, and track responses in real time, this was during a live demonstration. 

“It connects investors to key institutions such as the Uganda Investment Authority, URSB, URA, NEMA, and the Ministry of Energy all on one platform.”

The Danish delegation expressed admiration for the innovation, with Winding-Albjerg saying such tools would go a long way in improving transparency and accessibility for international investors, including those from Denmark.

She outlined Denmark’s current focus areas in Uganda, emphasising green growth, climate-smart agriculture and infrastructure development.

“We work a lot in agribusiness, investing in climate-smart agriculture, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, and working with co-operatives to build sustainable value chains,” she said.

“We also focus on renewable energy, water, and infrastructure sectors where Danish companies have strong expertise and where Uganda has great potential.”

She added that while Denmark engages closely with government institutions, its overall goal is to empower Uganda’s private sector.

“For the private sector to grow, government must provide a supportive and predictable environment. Our dialogue with SHIPU is really about ensuring that,” she noted.

Officials from the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB), the ministries of finance and trade, also attended the meeting, alongside representatives from the State House Anti-Corruption Unit.

They highlighted the importance of inter-agency collaboration in resolving investment bottlenecks and creating a seamless process for investors.

Addressing gaps

Winding-Albjerg said Denmark was keen on identifying and addressing systemic gaps in Uganda’s investment environment.

“The first step to addressing challenges is knowing them,” she said. “We look forward to engaging more with Ugandan authorities to understand the protection mechanisms available  where to go for what kind of support and then share that information with Danish companies and other investors.”

Nakalema emphasised that for Uganda to remain a top investment destination, it must embrace alternative dispute resolution (ADR) to resolve commercial disputes more efficiently.

“We must promote mediation and arbitration as faster and more affordable options compared to lengthy court processes, and investors should not be trapped in endless litigation that delays progress," she said. 

Her remarks were echoed by other participants who observed that commercial disputes are among the biggest deterrents to investment in emerging economies.

Both the Danish Embassy and SHIPU expressed optimism that the renewed partnership will yield tangible results, especially in promoting transparent and accountable investment practices.