The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in charge of Regional Affairs, Hon. John Mulimba, received copies of letters of credence from H.E. Ahmed Mohammed Abdulrahman Abdullah Al Zwaidi, the Ambassador-designate of the State of Qatar to the Republic of Uganda, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Ambassador-designate Al Zwaidi delivered warm greetings and formally announced the decision of his government to open a resident embassy in Uganda a clear sign of Qatar’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties. “It is an honor to be appointed the first resident ambassador to Uganda,” he said.
While Uganda already has a resident embassy in Qatar, the Qatari mission to Uganda has until now operated on a non-resident basis in Nairobi, with multiple accreditation to Uganda.
Welcoming the Ambassador-designate, Hon. Mulimba thanked the State of Qatar for the decision to open an embassy in Uganda, describing it as a true reflection of growing bilateral relations. He also congratulated Qatar on the successful conclusion of the 2nd Edition of the Uganda-Qatar Business Forum, held in October 2025, noting that such initiatives are key to translating bilateral relations into practical economic partnerships.
Hon. Mulimba said Uganda’s exports to Qatar have grown from USD 20 million to USD 34 million over the past decade, while Qatar’s exports to Uganda have risen from USD 17 million to USD 26 million. He expressed optimism that trade would continue to grow, identifying potential areas for collaboration such as agro-processing, tourism, manufacturing, minerals, oil and gas, and technology transfer in science and innovation.
“With resident ambassadors in both countries, trade volumes between Uganda and Qatar are expected to multiply further,” Hon. Mulimba said.
Ambassador-designate Al Zwaidi confirmed that the Government of Qatar plans to sign a number of MoUs in these sectors, as well as in diplomatic consultations. He pledged to further strengthen existing relations and noted that the increase in Qatar Airways flights to Entebbe from one to two daily is a sign of growing trade and movement between the two countries.
