Vietnam pledges to deepen ties with Uganda
Tuan said bilateral trade between the two countries had grown from $28.6m (sh105.6b) in 2024 to $53.4m (sh197.3b) in 2025, and called for stronger government-to-business and business-to-business linkages.
The forum, which ran from August 9-13, was held under the theme: Uganda - The Pearl of Africa: Gateway to Africa, a statement from Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. (Courtesy photo)
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The Vietnamese government has reaffirmed its commitment to translating strong political relations with Uganda into effective and substantive economic cooperation.
The Vietnamese deputy minister of foreign affairs, Le Anh Tuan, made the commitment in the capital Hanoi on August 12, 2026, while officially launching the Uganda Business Forum and Expo-Vietnam Chapter.
The forum, which ran from August 9-13, was held under the theme: Uganda - The Pearl of Africa: Gateway to Africa, a statement from Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
Tuan said bilateral trade between the two countries had grown from $28.6m (sh105.6b) in 2024 to $53.4m (sh197.3b) in 2025, and called for stronger government-to-business and business-to-business linkages.
“For Vietnamese enterprises, Uganda offers a platform to engage the wider East African and African markets; for Uganda, Vietnam represents an important Asian partner for investment, technology and market access,” he said.
Tuan observed that Vietnam seeks an “equal, trustworthy, sharing, and mutually beneficial partnership” with Uganda.
He said the forum turned that shared ambition into practical economic diplomacy connecting policy with enterprises, markets with investment, and longstanding friendship with measurable development outcomes.
“Our engagement with Vietnam is about building a partnership in which we learn from each other, invest in each other’s strengths and create opportunities that deliver shared prosperity for our peoples,” he said.
The forum expanded the conversation into Information and Communication Technology, energy, minerals, as well as oil and gas, bringing Ugandan institutions and Vietnamese companies into direct engagement.
Tumwebaze joined stakeholders in advancing opportunities for cooperation in agricultural production, value addition, technology transfer and market development.
“The signing of a memorandum of understanding is not an end in itself; it is a commitment to turn shared knowledge, technology and experience into practical action,” Tumwebaze emphasised.
Betty Bigombe, Uganda’s High Commissioner to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia with accreditation to Vietnam, played a central role in convening the forum, demonstrating how Uganda’s diplomatic missions can serve as catalysts for investment, partnerships and market access.