Health, agriculture to feature at Uganda Netherlands Business Convention

Ugandans in the Netherlands, plus investors from Uganda are promoting agriculture and health care as core enterprises at the 3^rd Uganda Netherlands Business Convention scheduled for August 2019.

"This third edition of Uganda Netherlands Business Convention (UNBC) will focus on the untapped potential of the healthcare and Agriculture sectors in Uganda," Joachim Kikomeko, one of the organisers said. The convention begins on August 21 and ends on August 24, 2019.  

According to Kikomeko, the main activity, particularly, the business convention will take place on Friday, August 23 at the Novotel Hotel, Amsterdam- The Netherlands.  

According to Juma Kiggundu, the Public relations officer UNBC, activities will be preceded on August 22, by a tour of selected businesses, organizations and locations in Amsterdam and other towns and locations in the Netherlands, during the early hours of the day.

In the evening, interested participants will hold one-on-one meetings with other participants and representatives of different organizations.

On Saturday, August 24, the Convention will be closed by a track and field event in the morning and a dinner and entertainment show in the evening.  

Kiggundu says that while the demand for agriculture products across the world is rising, Uganda's agri-food system, including manufacturing, processing, and services remains largely untapped.

"The World Bank estimates the population of Uganda to reach 102 million by 2050, which provides great potential for the agri-food and agri-processing investment," he says.

Just like the agriculture sector, the health sector also remains pertinent to the development of the country.  "The healthcare sector also remains equally attractive and important.  This is why this year's convention has already attracted a lot of interest both in Uganda and in the Netherlands," Kiggundu says. Organisers expect it to be the largest so far, in terms of attendance compared to UNBC 2018.

More than 150 private (for and not-for-profit) and public organizations from both the Netherlands and Uganda have already expressed their intention to participate in this year's convention.  

The speaker of Ugandan Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga who attended last year`s convention said: "I have never attended a well - organized convention such as this. This is so far, the best organized Ugandan convention I have ever attended," Kadaga will again attend this year's convention.

"We applaud our partners, particularly, the government of the Republic of Uganda, the Ugandan Embassy in Brussels and other bodies for supporting us," Kiggundu says. 

The Ugandan Embassy in Brussels continues to be a reliable partner in this cause and we shall continue to work with them and other willing partners, in order to make UNBC the best and biggest Ugandan Diaspora Business convention in Europe.

This year, the Ugandan Embassy in Brussels will be represented again by the Ugandan Ambassador to the Benelux and the European Union, Mirjam Blaak Sow and the Prime Minister of Uganda, Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda is expected to be the chief guest.