__________

KAMPALA - A Dubai-based multibillion-dollar company has expressed interest in investing over sh456.7b (about $120m) in the hospitality and industrial parks in Uganda.

The company, one of the largest in construction, medical supply, real estate, and hospitality sectors in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with investments in Europe, Asia, Middle and Africa is helping Uganda become one of the most popular tourist destinations in Africa.

It is scheduled to build two modern hotels in Bwindi Impenetrable and Queen Elizabeth National Parks in Western Uganda and later extend its investment to Murchison Falls National Park.

Amb. Henry Mayega (C) in a meeting with investors on Tuesday. (All Photos y Eddie Ssejjoba)

The company President Engineer Hani Saliba, said that the company has also plans to start an airline company to promote domestic tourism by easing air transport between Entebbe and the various national parks.

Saliba said they have investments in many countries across the globe and were excited to invest in Uganda, especially in the tourism and industrial park sectors, and were looking forward to commencing work as soon as possible.

The company has budgeted for an initial investment of $120m (approx. sh456.7b) in both the hospitality and industrial parks, according to Saliba.

Eng. Hani Saliba (C), the President of the Haliburg Group of Companies shaking hands with Martin Muhangi, the director Uganda Investment Authority after a discussion at the authority head office in Kololo. Right is Uganda's counsel general to Dubai, Amb Henry Mayega.

“We are starting with the hospitality sector with around $20m, which our group has budgeted, and $100m in excess in the industrial park, depending on the size of the finalized designated land,” he explains.

Eng. Saliba explains that Haliburg is a multinational company with an extensive portfolio of brands across the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and Africa.

“I believe that Uganda needs an organized domestic airline industry, we are here to be able to suit that and allow for more potential growth in the tourism sector.”

Eng. Hani Salib (L), the President of the Haliburg Group of Companies arrives at the Uganda Investment Authority offices with Uganda's counsel general to Dubai, Amb Henry Mayega where they discussed the company investment plans in Uganda.

He added, “I believe that Uganda has a big potential to grow massively, it already has the tourist sites, but it has a big potential to grow even further and become one of Africa’s tourist destinations.”

According to Saliba, for Uganda's tourism sector to flourish, it must have the required infrastructures such as airlines, which are a prerequisite for development of that kind.

The investor made the remarks on Tuesday during a visit to the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) in Kololo where he held discussions with the UIA officials.

UIA director Martin Muhangi welcomes Eng. Hani Salib.

The team, which included Mohamad Ali Alawiyeh, the company business development manager and Aatif Affan, the head of International Business Development were led by Uganda’s Counsel General to Dubai, Amb. Henry Mayega and received by the UIA director, Martin Muhangi and held discussions over the planned investment.

In March this year, the investors met President Yoweri Museveni at State House and shared their investment plans with the desire to commence work.

“We had a fantastic meeting with the UIA team, we hope the process will be smooth,” Saliba explained, saying they were optimistic that they would start on the process as soon as possible.

Ambassador Mayega said the meeting at UIA was organized to review the company’s planned construction of the two hotels under one of their brand companies, One Nature Hotels and Resorts, which has investments in various companies.

Ambassador Mayega (C) said the meeting at UIA was organized to review the company’s planned construction of the two hotels under one of their brand companies, One Nature Hotels and Resorts, which has investments in various companies.

He said he was impressed that investors had plans to establish an industrial park in Uganda, adding that the investors desired to move things fast and go into business.

“This is a big opportunity for Uganda to benefit from the multibillion-dollar company that will be willing to extend their investments in many other sectors including construction,” he said.

On behalf of the UIA team, Muhangi thanked Amb. Mayega for the efforts to attract investors from the Middle East to Uganda, saying the authority will be willing to facilitate the company to go through the process in a record short time.

He said their role would be to explain to them the Government tax incentives for their different projects.

“We are ready to offer the investors a 10-year tax holiday for the industrial parks, and we shall provide land to support their investment as our contribution”.

“In terms of facilitation, we are working towards giving them an investment licence in less than 24 hours and helping them access permits and licences from other organisations,” he explained.

Eng. Salib greets officials.

According to Muhangi, UIA would link the investors to the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) and offer incorporation of registration of their businesses in less than four hours. 

In addition, UIA will get them a Tax Identification Number (TIN) in less than two hours and support them with work permits, which are all done at our one-stop-centre here at UIA,” he pledged.

Muhangi said UIA would work closely with the Civil Aviation Authority to ensure that the company is facilitated to invest in domestic tourism and clear them to start an airline company.