Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja this evening hosted Uganda diaspora leaders in the UAE to a networking dinner at the Rixos Marina Hotel in Abu Dhabi.
The population of Ugandans working in Abu Dhabi is estimated at 150,000. Prime Minister Nabbanja welcomed the diaspora leadership, hailing them for positively contributing to the development of both Uganda and the UAE.
Rt. Hon. Nabbanja informed them that mobilizing the Diaspora for development is a priority for the NRM Government and that the Government gives a token of support for their community activities. “I am aware that USD 50,000 (Fifty thousand dollars) was given towards the leadership Association and an additional USD 63,000 (sixty three thousand dollars) towards the UAE Uganda Diaspora SACCO,” she said, adding that there were plans to establish a shelter for stranded Ugandans in Dubai. “In the Financial Year 2025/2026, the Uganda Government will support the Uganda Consulate in Dubai to set up shelter for stranded Ugandans”.
The UAE Minister of State Foreign Affairs in charge of Africa, Sheikh Shakhboot Nahyan Al Nahyan, who was the Prime Minister’s Special Guest at the event, said that the Ugandan Community have a good reputation in the UAE, distinguishing themselves as friendly, hardworking, trustworthy and transparent. He said they are a welcome addition to the large immigrant population in the UAE.
Prime Minister Nabbanja thanked the Ugandans, through their community leaders for the hard work that has led to high remittances being sent back home and for the warm welcome when she arrived. The Diaspora leaders who attended the dinner included Abdul Basit Nsubuga, Robert Kamoga, Abdullah Kabogoza, Mustafa Ndugwa, Winnie Nansamba, Rashida Mwiz, Cosmas Aheebwa, Zam Nabirye, Ismail Okedo and Khadija Mohammed.
In their response, the diaspora leaders thanked the Prime Minister for the interaction and took the opportunity to raise a number of issues they felt needed interventions by the Uganda Government.
Expressing concern for safety and mature decision-making, they requested for the Government of Uganda to engage Labor Export Companies with a view to setting the age limit for migrant workers in Abu Dhabi at 25 years old. They expressed concern that the majority of jobs in the service industry require high tolerance levels and emotional intelligence, which is more challenging for younger workers and for which many Labor Export companies do not adequately prepare them. They said that more often than not, those that find themselves stranded on the streets are much younger people who have limited life-skills which makes them vulnerable.
Regarding the recent decision by the Uganda Directorate of Immigration and Citizenship Control to refer all lost passport renewal applications to Kampala, and to have applicants return to Uganda physically for such renewals, the community leaders appealed for Government to grant “amnesty” for people who have lost passports. Reminding the PM that holding valid passports is not optional for people living abroad, they cited serious hurdles, like prohibitive air transportation costs, getting indefinite time off work and in some cases, the potential to lose their jobs and be detained if found without documentation.
The diaspora leaders further requested for assistance in expanding the capital base for their projects, benefits like tax waivers, and consideration for allocation of land in investment parks for mini -factories.
They further requested that the Ministry of Water, Lands and Environment allocate them land for hardwood tree-planting. In her response, the PM emphasized that besides the number of incentives for Ugandan citizens being more, agricultural inputs, in particular, are already tax exempt.
Thanking them for the open and honest dialogue, she also pledged to inform H.E. the President of Uganda about the requests of the diaspora in the UAE.
The diaspora leaders took the opportunity to invite the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister to the Diaspora Annual Convention in November 2025, for which she confirmed attendance. “I will come,” she said.
