Top Ugandan executives to woo investors at UNAA meet in Louisiana

By Samuel Muwanguzi

Top executives of major government agencies are heading to the 27th Annual Uganda North American Association (UNAA) Convention to address the Ugandan Diaspora community.

They will talks to potential American investors about available investment opportunities in Uganda and the policies and strategies the government has developed to transform the country from a predominantly peasant economy into a middle income state as outlined in the Vision 2040.

 The roundtable discussions will mainly focus on strategies to exploit the abundant natural resources and investment opportunities either privately or through public private partnerships, a statement issued by the UNAA Secretariat stated.

The convention will take place  in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel from September 4 to 6, 2015 under the theme "Better Together: Investing in Our Future through Education."

These government agency experts will highlight their “respective strategic roles in implementing finance and tax policies, expanding the energy sector, promoting the tourism industry, supporting value addition to agricultural products, facilitating the construction, banking, and telecommunication industries to encourage a favorable investment climate that enhances viable private and public-private partnerships,” the statement said.  

The trade & investment roundtable will offer  heads of key government agencies and  Ugandans living in the Diaspora to share information that will enable the Diaspora community to tap into government decision making  and implementation processes and make informed investment decisions,” UNAA president, Brian Kwesiga told the New Vision in an interview in Dallas, Texas over the weekend.  

He added that “since we in the Diaspora are ranked number 3 in contributing to Uganda’s foreign exchange earnings, we surely deserve a place at the negotiating table that formulates and implements government policy.”

Heads of  parastatals and authorities  coming to participate in the trade and investment roundtable include the  Managing Director, National Social Security Fund, Richard Byarugaba; the Executive Director Uganda Investment Authority, Dr. Frank Sebbowa; the Deputy Chairman, National Planning Authority, Dr. Abel Rwendeire; the Commissioner General, Uganda Revenue Authority, Doris Akol; the Executive Director, Kampala Capital City Authority, Jennifer Musisi; the Registrar General, Uganda Registration Services Bureau, Bemanya Twebaze; and the Executive Director, UMEME, Selestino Babungi.

Others are the  Chief Executive Officer, Uganda Tourism Board, Stephen Asiimwe; the Executive Director and CEO, Uganda Wildlife Authority,  Andrew Seguya;  the Chief Executive Officer, National Housing and Construction Company, Parity Twinomujuni;the  Managing Director, Housing Finance Bank, Mathias Katamba; the Managing Director, PostBank Uganda, Stephen Mukweli; the Chief Executive Officer, WAVE App, Will Fogel; and the Presidential Adviser for Youth in Charge of agriculture Emmanuel Musoke.

 The two round-table sessions on Friday and Saturday will be moderated by Dennis Matanda, a Trade and Investment Policy Consultant at the African Union Commission headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  Matanda is also the official representative of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) in the United States.

The Managing Director of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) Richard Byarugaba, who will deliver the keynote address to the trade and investment roundtable, will discuss procedures of accessing NSSF benefits in the wake of rising concerns by Ugandans in the Diaspora who paid into the fund when they worked in Uganda.   

Byarugaba will also highlight new and safe investment solutions offered by NSSF including opportunities to earn higher returns on savings and investments, and showcase mechanisms to acquire a home in Uganda through secure mortgages.

To reassure potential investors in the Uganda about the expansion, enhanced efficiency within the electricity distribution system, the Managing Director of UMEME Selestino Babungi will discuss the huge investments the corporation has made toward the modernization of the infrastructure, improvements in its marketing operations, and in the maintenance of the distribution network.