📸 Vice President Alupo calls for stronger trade ties between Uganda and Ethiopia

KAMPALA - The Vice President, Major (Rtd) Jessica Alupo, has called for stronger trade and investment between Uganda and Ethiopia.

She says that the two brotherly countries have immense potential to deepen their cooperation, especially focusing on economic development.

She urged the two countries to take advantage of their young populations, rich cultures and strategic locations, which she says position both nations well to harness new opportunities for mutual growth.  

Vice President Alupo was was welcomed by the ambassador, Etsegenet Bezabih Yimenu and other embassy officials. (All Photos by Eddie Ssejjoba)

Some guests won raffle tickets for a trip to Ethiopia courtesy of the Ethiopian Airlines.

Alupo officiated at the 130th anniversary of Ethiopia’s victory at Adwa and the 65th anniversary of formal diplomatic relations between Uganda and Ethiopia, organised by the embassy, on Tuesday evening, March 24, 2026, at Kololo Independence Grounds.

She was welcomed by the ambassador, Etsegenet Bezabih Yimenu and other embassy officials.

Under the motto, "Adwa-Glorious Past, Radiant Horizon", the Battle of Adwa is celebrated every year to remind Ethiopians and Africans at large of the first Italian-Ethiopian war on March 1, 1896, near the town of Adwa. 

Kampala Central Mayor Salim Uhuru was also in attendance.

The Italian army was defeated in a single day, suffering serious casualties.   

“I wish to salute the Victory of Adwa as it reminds us of the most defining moments in African and global history.  It stands as a powerful symbol of resilience, unity, and the unwavering determination of a people to defend their sovereignty and dignity,” Alupo told guests who included the minister of state for disability affairs Hellen Grace Asamo, the minister of state in the Office of the Vice President Diana Mutasingwa, the Emorimor of Teso, Papa Paul Sande Emolot, Kampala Central Mayor, Salim Uhuru, the First Deputy Mufti Sheikh Muhammad Ali Waiswa, among other high-ranking government and diplomatic officials.

Alupo noted that at a time when much of Africa was under colonial domination, the “triumph at Adwa sent a clear and resounding message that freedom, self-determination, and national pride are inalienable rights of all nations”.

She told the guests that over the past decades, several countries in the Great Lakes region and the Horn of Africa had experienced a series of conflicts, but Uganda had played a central role in finding a solution.

“I am happy to state that Ethiopia has been a major ally in our efforts to stabilise the region,” she said, adding that she was glad that Ethiopia is one of the countries Uganda is co-operating with closely to achieve her economic transformation.

Trade and Investment

Although the bilateral trade between the two countries was still modest, Alupo said it continued to show encouraging growth and strong potential for expansion.

She noted that Uganda’s exports to Ethiopia stand at sh81.8b (approx. $21.9m), largely driven by petroleum products, alongside dairy, processed foods and manufactured goods, while imports remain at about sh3.7b (approx. $1m), comprising mainly agricultural products, textiles, and light-manufactured goods. 

“These trade flows highlight the complementary nature of our economies, where each country brings unique strengths to the partnership. They also remind us of the vast untapped opportunities that remain between our nations,” she explained, and called for deeper co-operation in value addition, agro-processing, industrial development and cross-border trade facilitation.

She said that the two countries, as members of the broader East African and African economic community, were well-positioned to leverage frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area to expand market access, reduce trade barriers, and stimulate investment.

Ambassador Yimenu stated that the battle of Adwa remains the foundation for the collective commitment to the continental vision of Pan-Africanism, which Ethiopia, Uganda and Africa at large are striving for.

“The triumph at the Battle of Adwa had a significant, immediate impact on global perceptions, effectively challenging the prevailing notion that colonial powers possessed unmatched diplomatic, political, and military strength,” she said.

According to the ambassador, Ethiopia’s relationship with Uganda started 65 years ago with the historic exchange of visits between the Kabaka of Buganda kingdom, Sir Edward Mutesa II and Emperor Haile Selassie I, which has since continued to grow.
Key milestones in recent bilateral engagements, she says, include the 2021 official visit by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and visits by the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Dr. Abiy Ahmed, in 2018 and in 2024 for the 19th NAM Summit.

These were followed by successive visits of Ethiopia’s former and current Presidents, Sahle-Work Zewde in 2020, 2021, and 2023, followed by the recent visit of President Taye Aske-Selassie in 2025, in addition to several agreements signed between the countries. She says these serve as a powerful testament to the enduring strategic partnership between the two nations. 

She commended President Museveni for welcoming and granting one of Ethiopia’s giant companies, Kuriftu Resort and Spa, to invest in the tourism sector by building eco-friendly lodges at Murchison Falls National Park.

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Below is a picture highlight captured by Multimedia Journalist Eddie Ssejjoba as the function unfolded at Kololo Independence Grounds;