Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has called on Italian investors to invest in Uganda’s agro-processing sector and support value addition to the country’s agricultural products.
Nabbanja made the appeal while addressing the first Uganda–Italy Business and Investment Forum in Rome, held under the theme “Unlocking Shared Prosperity.”
The forum was organised by the Government of Uganda as part of efforts to strengthen trade and investment ties with Italy and expand Uganda’s access to the European market.
Nabbanja particularly urged Italian investors to establish coffee processing facilities in Uganda, noting that the country’s coffee is largely organic and commands attractive prices on the international market.
She said processing coffee locally would enable Uganda to earn more from its exports while creating employment opportunities for the country’s growing youthful population.
Italy is a major consumer of Ugandan coffee, making it an important market for Uganda’s efforts to increase the value and returns from its coffee exports.
Beyond coffee, Nabbanja highlighted Uganda’s wide range of agricultural products as investment opportunities for Italian businesses, particularly through processing and value addition.
The Prime Minister said stronger investment in agro-industrialisation would help Uganda move beyond exporting raw materials and increase the benefits derived from its agricultural sector.
Nabbanja was accompanied by senior government officials, including Robert Mukiza of the Uganda Investment Authority, Hez Kimoomi Alinda of the Uganda Free Zone and Export Promotion Authority, and Humphrey Asiimwe Rwakagiri of the Uganda Chamber of Energy and Minerals.
