Burundi, Congo, Sudan join trade show

Oct 06, 2009

THE Uganda International Trade Fair opened yesterday with Southern Sudan, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo taking part in the exhibition for the first time.

By Mary Karugaba

THE Uganda International Trade Fair opened yesterday with Southern Sudan, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo taking part in the exhibition for the first time.

“There is a lot of trade currently taking place between Uganda and Southern Sudan hence their presence,” said Gideon Badagawa who heads the Uganda Manufacturers’ Association.

He said the number of participants has continued to grow since the annual trade fair started in 1993. A total of 900 exhibitors from 33 countries are expected to showcase their products. The majority of them are from Kenya, Tanzania, United Arabs Emirates, China and Egypt.

The US and Taiwan are the new entrants. Products and services showcased include modern technologies, agro-products, banking, telecommunication, transport and construction. The biggest challenges for Ugandan manufacturers to compete internationally are infrastructure and energy, Badagawa noted.

“The Government needs to improve roads and power so that we are able to compete with other manufacturers across the globe. The industrialists need to be able to process their goods and transport them to the markets on time.”

He also called upon the Government to implement the industrial policy, which stipulates that ministries buy from Ugandan industries as a way of encouraging locally manufactured products. There are about 100 large-scale manufacturers in Uganda, 500 medium-scale and about one million micro- enterprises.

The most important sectors are the processing of agricultural products, the manufacturing of light consumer goods and textiles, and the production of beverages, electricity and cement.
Prime Minister Apolo Nsibambi will officially open the 17th edition of the trade fair today at UMA Lugogo show grounds.

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