Black Americans asked to invest in Uganda, Africa

INVESTMENTS   BUSINESS

Black Americans in the United States have been asked to consider returning to Africa and invest their monies in Africa particularly Uganda.

Isaac Kigozi, the managing director East African Partners (EAP) a company that markets East Africa as an investment destination, said black Americans can relocate and invest in Africa because there is a lot of potential for businesses to grow.

The EAP boss who stayed in the US for more than 20 years and relocated back to Uganda said it is time for African Americans to consider coming back home and focus on rebuilding Africa their home.

"There are enormous investment opportunities in Uganda and the East African region block which range from Oil and Gas, Infrastructure, Real Estate, Tourism, Education, Health, Transportation, Agriculture, Technology, among others, which these black Americans can take advantage of," Kigozi said.

Early this year, Kigozi flew in a group of African American investors who offered to invest up to $300m (sh1.1trillion) in the health and real estate sectors in Uganda.

With the blacks facing discrimination in America and elsewhere in Europe, Kigozi implored the blacks to invest in Uganda and the East African region at large which he said has many virgin investment opportunities.

Responding to the call, a number of black Americans that have since reached out to EAP for possible investment opportunities in Uganda welcomed the idea.

Dr David Miller, the Illinois state senator in the US, said the social unrest and protests in America and across the world have prompted a new intergenerational view of citizenship and awareness of global presence attributes and faults.

"Technology and social media allow us to virtually "visit" Africa but falls short of actual visits and witnessing potential mutually beneficial opportunities and solutions.  These economic and business opportunities can be explored along with social issues of inclusion that America has incorporated in our society," Miller said.

 Another black American, Big Alvin Sams, a radio presenter also welcomed the call saying time is ripe for African Americans to connect with their motherland.

He said; "There has always been a push to connect African-Americans with connecting to the motherland. Sometimes it's subtle, other times it's very pronounced.

But with all that is happening in America right now, specifically involving African-Americans, as well as an overall mainstream consciousness that is settling over the country about not only being black in America as well as the connection to Africa, the time is right for the call to be heard".

On his part, Michelle Curry, the founder of Travel Africa Movement, described Uganda as a unique country with tourism potential and many investment opportunities.

He noted that investing in Africa can help develop the continent and make it more attractive to stay and work in.

"I think that it is a timely call and we fully support the mission. Uganda is uniquely poised to be a big player on the Black tourism scene. It's a beautiful country with diverse tourist attractions, a thriving nightlife and friendly people," he said.

Ashworth Barnes, the President and Chief Executive officer 713 motoring in Houston Texas US, said Africa can be a good investment base for people of the African descent.

He noted that with the black lives matter protests and the COVID-19 Pandemic that has severally hit the US, Africa particularly Uganda which has registered no COVID-19 deaths is the right destination for investments in Africa.

"It is particularly important that we act quickly with COVID-19 spreading like wildfire. Many Americans are looking to migrate to countries that have fewer cases of the virus," he said.

Donna Miller, the former chief Campaign mobilizer to presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in Chicago US, said it is time for African Americans to interest themselves in returning to Africa for both settlement and investments.

He noted that the yearning and desire to be connected to Africa is present with many African Americans adding that many African Americans have no direct relationship with which country they came from on the continent of Africa.

"The call now to return is even more important in light of current events that consistently happen in the United States specifically related to police brutality, unfair treatment in the workplace, voter suppression and the constant stigma that being black carries in this country. I do feel it's in worth consideration, especially for those who have business and entrepreneurial goals," he said.