Uganda’s envoy in Germany champions cultural diplomacy

Mubiru noted that Uganda and Germany have enjoyed longstanding bilateral relations anchored in development cooperation, trade, education and technical partnerships. He said Germany remains one of Uganda's key development partners, supporting programmes in renewable energy, vocational training, refugee response, governance and sustainable economic development.

He added that cultural diplomacy offers an opportunity to further deepen these ties by strengthening people-to-people relations, promoting tourism and creating new avenues for trade and investment between the two countries.

Mubiru urged Uganda and Germany to continue showcasing their unique cultural traditions, strengthen people-to-people exchanges and foster long-term partnerships that support shared economic growth and sustainable development. Bagonza commended Ugandans living abroad for their continued contribution to national development and encouraged the diaspora to explore more opportunities that advance Uganda's economic transformation.

He said the diaspora plays a vital role in promoting Uganda's image abroad, attracting investment, boosting tourism and strengthening international networks. The podcast was part of activities held during the inaugural Uganda Cultural and Tourism Festival and reaffirmed the commitment of stakeholders to establish the festival as an annual event for promoting Uganda's culture, tourism, trade and investment opportunities in Germany and across Europe.

Germany is one of Uganda's most important bilateral development partners, with cooperation largely implemented through the German Agency for International Cooperation and the KfW Development Bank. The partnership focuses on agriculture and climate resilience, renewable energy, vocational training, refugee support and sustainable economic development.

Under the cooperation framework, Germany has supported programmes aimed at improving food security and strengthening farmers' resilience to climate change. The partnership has further invested in renewable energy projects and initiatives designed to improve energy efficiency across the country.

Germany has likewise provided humanitarian assistance to refugee-hosting communities, particularly in northern Uganda, through support for emergency shelter, access to clean water and livelihood creation programmes.

In the area of skills development, Uganda and Germany have strengthened collaboration in technical and vocational education and training to equip young people with skills that match labour market demands.

Commercial ties between the two countries continue to expand, with German companies expressing growing interest in Uganda's priority investment sectors. Bilateral trade and investment are facilitated through agreements aimed at protecting investments and promoting private sector partnerships.

Among the emerging areas of cooperation is electric mobility, where German investors are partnering with Ugandan companies in ventures such as electric motorcycle and battery assembly in Kampala's Ntinda Industrial Area.

Cultural and educational exchanges between Uganda and Germany have remained vibrant, supported by partnerships between universities and research institutions. These include collaborative research projects such as the traditional medicine partnership between Mbarara University of Science and Technology and Leipzig University, as well as scholarship opportunities offered through the German Academic Exchange Service.

The two countries have further strengthened people-to-people relations through cultural festivals, tourism promotion events and other public engagements held in Germany, providing a platform to showcase Uganda's heritage, tourism potential and investment opportunities.