ICPAU gets more partners for ACOA

The partnerships include government institutions, airlines, and the bank of Uganda, tour companies, telecoms, audit firms and foreign professional bodies.

"This is a land mark event that will put Uganda on the spot, as the whole world will be following events at the conference.  To organise it successfully therefore, we had to find partners both in the private and public sectors," the institute's president, Protazio Begumisa said.

So far, both Rwanda Air and South African Airways have offered a 10% discounted travel to passengers coming for the conference next month, while smile telecom has offered 4G free internet during the conference.

ACOA is an international event held every two years, that brings together professional accountants and business leaders in Africa.

More than 1000 accountants from 35 African countries are expected to gather in Kampala to deliberate on the continent's economic development and transformation, and the role accountants can play to achieve growth.

"We want to see how accountants can work together to transform the economies of Africa, as we look at strengthening accountability which is an issue of continental interest, as it involves managing resources that are crucial to the growth of Africa as a whole," the institute's chief executive, Derrick Nkajja said.

According to the World Bank, the continent has seen some remarkable economic turnaround in the last decade, with seven of the world's ten fastest growing economies located in Africa.

However, a line of challenges such as corruption, capital inadequacies, industrialisation and unreliable markets stand in the continent's way to economic independence and maturity.

Government sponsors include the Ministry of Finance, Bank of Uganda and the Uganda Tourism Board. Other include AAR, PKF, Stanbic Bank, Barclays Bank, Tororo Cement, BDO East Africa, ACCA and the Chimpanzee Sanctuary among others.