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Wednesday, August 6, 2014

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#AfricaSummit #Uganda
Our World Insert is produced by United World. USA Today did not participate in its preparation and is not responsible for its content
T
he discovery of oil
and gas reserves
in Uganda has
helped the East
African nation to
develop into a key territory in
one of the worlds fastest grow-
ing economic regions. Build-
ing on these industries is now
at the cornerstone of Ugandas
expansion plans as it seeks to
exploit its natural resources
to improve both the social
and economic fortunes of its
citizens. While agriculture has
traditionally been a mainstay
for the nations economy, the
discovery of such natural re-
sources has more recently pro-
vided Uganda with an impetus
to drive forward economic im-
provements.
Developing the oil and gas
industry further remains key
to Ugandas future, and the
industries lie behind the coun-
trys current National Devel-
opment Plan, which aims to
improve prospects by building
better transport links, improv-
ing electricity supplies, and de-
veloping a network of effective
pipeline delivery systems.
At the heart of much of this
development has been a large-
ly stable and secure political
environment under President
Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and
the ruling National Resistance
Movement. Democracy first
arrived in the former British
colony in 1986, but it is more
recent investments in infra-
structure and market reforms
that have enabled Uganda to
become an economic force in
the region.
One of the things that
Uganda has done to make it
grow so rapidly is to improve
its policy framework, says
Oliver Wonekha, Ugandan
Ambassador to the U.S. The
country has very sound mac-
roeconomic policies. The lib-
eralization of the economy has
been followed by a stronger
emphasis on private sector-led
growth and the expansion of
markets through regional in-
tegration.
Recent reforms of Ugandas
economic systems include the
creation of markets for foreign
exchange and stocks, which
have helped to bolster confi-
dence in the country as a place
for investment and attract for-
eign business interests.
Allied to this has been the
creation of the Power Africa
Initiative (PAI) and Trade Afri-
ca Initiative (TAI), which have
strengthened ties between the
American and African conti-
nents. Ms. Wonekha says the
partnerships have opened up
new avenues for investors, par-
ticularly in road, rail and water
transportation, oil and gas ex-
ploration and extraction, and
also with the development of
new electrical and hydropow-
er installations. Firms such as
the China National Offshore
Oil Corporation (CNOOC),
Total, and Tullow Oil are all
currently in discussions with
Ugandan authorities to ex-
pand their business operations
in the country.
Pre-existing investments
have already helped to trans-
form Ugandas economic make-
up, with the agricultural sector
now constituting 45% of the
countrys GDP, down from 85%.
In its place has been a huge
growth spurt in the services in-
dustries, which have ratcheted
up their contribution to the
countrys GDP as both oil and
gas exploration has increased.
Agriculture remains an
important sector in Uganda,
however, and one targeted for
more growth by the countrys
government, with the 4 mil-
lion bags of coffee produced
each year providing one of
the countrys greatest sources
of employment. Future plans
have been targeted to ramp up
exports four-fold, in order to
compete with the likes of ma-
jor producers such as Brazil.
These aims are part of plans
to deliver a diversified and
stable economy, something
the countrys Prime Minister
Amama Mbabazi says is cen-
tral to the countrys future ex-
pansion.
Recent oil developments
are good, but it should not
keep us from having to di-
versify the economy, he says.
This requires more training
programs, solutions to current
energy issues, and a willing-
ness to open the market fur-
ther. Wealth derived from oil
provides us with the perfect
opportunity to do all that and
diversify the economy. It al-
lows us to invest in industry so
that we have employment for
our people.
Ugandas agriculture, oil, and
gas industries are not the only
areas providing possibilities for
investors, with diverse sectors
ranging from tourism to gold,
phosphate and diamond min-
ing all providing opportunities.
We have plenty of tourist
attractions, says Mr. Musev-
eni. We have wildlife and na-
ture paths, mountains, gorillas,
and we have the resources for
tourism attraction. The miss-
ing link was security, which is
there now, and the other thing
is infrastructure and accessibil-
ity to tourist areas.
The Prime Minister is also
focusing his attention on de-
veloping the countrys manu-
facturing industries, to ensure
the raw materials produced
including the aforementioned
Ugandan coffee and other
products such as cotton are
not simply grown in the coun-
try but processed and then ex-
ported for added value.
We need to do more man-
ufacturing and build more
factories, says Mr. Museveni.
Now, we still have the prob-
lem of exporting raw materials.
That is a big problem, because,
on the one hand you get less
money, and on the other hand
you export jobs. If I export cot-
ton unprocessed, that means
the jobs for spinning, weaving,
and making garments are all
exported. That is our second
big problem. We need more
factories to add value to the
raw materials; we need indus-
trialization.
With returns on investment
projected at 6% to 7%, that tar-
get seems as if it could soon be
within Ugandas grasp. Am-
bassador Wonekha says the
nation intends to be a middle-
income country by 2017 and
a first-world country by 2050,
and it is clear that Uganda is
now keen to embrace further
investments to make the most
of the favorable market condi-
tions it has created.
A UNITED WORLD SUPPLEMENT PRODUCED BY:
Andrew Machaj, Fernando Mora,
Belen Buenaventura and Polet Piones
Oil and gas discoveries have helped Uganda to become a key
player in the rapidly expanding economic region of East Africa,
with a series of ambitious infrastructure developments now
planned to bolster that growth for future generations.
SECTORS ARE CLEAR,
AND PROFITABILITY IS
HIGH. THE INTERNAL
RATE OF RETURN IN
AFRICA, COMPARED
TO EUROPE OR ASIA,
is high. i dont
WANT PEOPLE TO
COME HERE TO LOSE
MONEY; THEY MUST
COME HERE TO MAKE
MONEY
YOWERI KAGUTA MUSEVENI,
President of Uganda
UGANDA
This supplement to USA TODAY was produced by United World Ltd., Suite 179, 34 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 0RH Tel: +44 20 7409 3106 ourworld@unitedworld-usa.com www.unitedworld-usa.com
The pearl of Africa
Ready to do business
U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit 2014 Washington, DC
ment. The EACs goal to pur-
sue this growth.
One of the three original
members of an association
leading to the EACs forma-
tion, Uganda is positioned
to become a regional leader
thanks to its drive to succeed,
its cooperation with other
nations and its experience in
international relations, which
includes working with the
United States and other na-
tions in the global war against
terrorism.
Uganda, the third-largest
economy in the EAC (Kenya
and Tanzania occupy the first
and second places), is expect-
ed to grow more in the com-
ing years due to its undevel-
oped potential in agriculture,
oil, mining and hospitality
and tourism. With the right
amount of investment and
work, Uganda, and therefore
its people, could experience
a great period of growth and
economic stability.
The agriculture industry
generates 68% of Ugandas
labor force and 46% of its ex-
port earnings. While 80% of
the nations land is arable, cur-
rently only 35% of it is cultivat-
ed. Most of the cultivation is
subsistence farming, but there
is good output growth poten-
tial in both coffee and corn. In
fact, support from the govern-
ment has helped Uganda be-
come an East African leader
in coffee exports. The govern-
ment is particularly interested
in encouraging growth in the
areas of fruit and vegetable
processing, such as producing
and canning juice concentrate
and frozen pulp from tropical
fruits. Investors can also help
strengthen the nations agri-
cultural subsections, such as
the processing and prepara-
tion of crops like tea, coffee,
tobacco, and cotton.
The potential exists for
greater agricultural exports if
the industrys challenges can
be overcome; these include a
lack of technology and cold
storage facilities, insufficient
extension services, crop
pests and diseases, and infra-
structure inadequate for the
countrys current needs and
therefore insufficient for any
growth that will take place.
The oil industry is poised to
improve Ugandas economy
as well. While exploration ef-
forts had been hampered for
years due to regional and civil
conflicts, the pace of explora-
tion is now quickening due to
the regions increased stability
and peacekeeping efforts by
Ugandas President, Yoweri
Kaguta Museveni. The coun-
trys oil export earnings are
expected to nearly double
when commercial crude oil
production begins by 2016. In
fact, oil revenues are expected
to replace and even surpass
the nations donor contribu-
tions.
The national government
aids this development. For
example, the energy budget
for the fiscal year 2012-2013
was tripled so that several vi-
tal projects related to the oil
industry could be started, in-
cluding oil refinery construc-
tion, hydroelectric power
projects, and an oil distribu-
tion network. Still, challenges
exist, like the lack of an export
oil pipeline, so full-scale oil
production must wait for this
infrastructure.
The oil industrys forecast-
ed growth will benefit Ugan-
das hospitality and tourism
industry in business-related
travel, and travel for pleasure
will increase when business
visitors combine work with
leisure. Uganda welcomes
600,000 visitors every year,
many to its 10 national parks
and 12 wildlife reserves. In
2011 the industrys revenues
were $805 million, the sec-
ond-largest source of foreign
revenue, after coffee exports.
Insufficient infrastructure is
the industrys greatest chal-
lenge: traffic growth exceeds
road growth and existing
roads are inadequately main-
tained.
As these industries grow,
telecommunications needs
will also increase. Ugandas
mobile penetration rate was
less than 50% in June 2013. In-
creasing the range and qual-
ity of coverage in rural areas
(where the majority of the
population lives) is necessary,
but offering high-value ser-
vices, such as 4G LTE, in ur-
ban areas is more profitable.
To meet banking needs,
the number of financial insti-
tution branches has almost
doubled in just the past three
years, and new projects in-
clude mobile and internet ser-
vices to make banking more
accessible and convenient.
Uganda was mostly protected
from the global credit crisis,
and as a result its financial
institutions are in relatively
good shape. In fact, the Bank
of Uganda, one of the coun-
trys 24 banks, is one of the
sub-Saharan Africas most re-
spected central banks.
With Ugandas will to im-
prove its economy, its hard-
earned stability and its great
potential, the country is well-
positioned to be a regional
leader.
Our World Insert is produced by United World. USA Today did not participate in its preparation and is not responsible for its content
Uganda has been a major engine of the East African Community, a market of
150,000,000 people, rich in natural resources, known for its touristic attractions,
and full of untapped potential to be discovered
UGANDA, THE THIRD-LARGEST ECONOMY IN
THE EAC, IS EXPECTED TO GROW MORE IN THE
COMING YEARS DUE TO ITS UNDEVELOPED
POTENTIAL IN AGRICULTURE, OIL, MINING
AND HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM
One of the continents safest countries
SECURITY AND INVESTMENT
Uganda is a key U.S.
strategic partner,
particularly through its
contribution to the African
Union Mission in Somalia;
and a key ally in the U.s.s
campaign against Islamic
extremism. The U.S. is
Ugandas largest bilateral
donor: through USAID,
the United States has
helped improve the lives of
hundreds of thousands of
Ugandans, by supporting
their development,
agriculture, health and
education
2 Wednesday, August 6, 2014 Distributed by USA TODAY
UGANDA
The gateway
to the East
African
Community
YOWERI KAGUTA MUSEVENI,
President of Uganda
O
ne of Africas
main inter-
governmental
organizations,
the East Af-
rican Community made
up of the United Republic of
Tanzania and the Republics
of Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya,
and Burundi encourages
cooperation among member
nations in economics, trade,
infrastructure, travel, and pol-
itics. The East African region
is one of the continents fast-
est growing regions and has
ample room for even greater
growth and foreign invest-
l
INDEPENDENCE:
October 9, 1962
l
TOTAL AREA: 241,038
square kilometers
l
POPULATION: 35.92m
l
CAPITAL: Kampala
l
GDP (PPP): $54.37 bil-
lion (2013 est.)
l
CURRENCY: Ugandan
shilling (UGX)
l
EXPORTS: coffee, fish
and fish products, tea, cot-
ton, flowers, horticultural
products, gold
l
EXPORTS VALUE: $3.16
billion (2013 est.)
l
IMPORTS: capital equip-
ment, vehicles, petroleum,
medical supplies, cereals
l
IMPORTS VALUE: $4.86
billion (2013 est.)
l
EXPORT PARTNERS: Ken-
ya 12.3%, Rwanda 10.3%,
UAE 10.2%, Democratic
Republic of the Congo
9.4%, Netherlands 6.1%,
Germany 5.6%, Italy 4.4%
(2012)
l
IMPORT PARTNERS: Ken-
ya 15.6%, UAE 15.4%,
China 12.8%, India
11.7%, South Africa 4.1%,
Japan 4% (2012)
28 years of
stable economic
renaissance
When Ugandas President
Yoweri Kaguta Museveni
first took office in 1986, his
country wasnt as stable as
it is today. He has worked
hard to bring Uganda out
of its political and eco-
nomic devastation. Now,
through universal educa-
tion literacy has increased,
and the economy has sta-
bilized. Inflation is down
and industries are opening
up to more foreign invest-
ment.
The United States has
also helped: money has
helped the nations eco-
nomic development, its
agriculture and the health
and education of its citi-
zens. Thanks to the joint
efforts between the United
States and Uganda, Ugan-
dans enjoy a relatively sta-
ble country.
Mr. Museveni has active-
ly involved his country in
ensuring peace and securi-
ty throughout Africa, Iraq,
and Afghanistan as well.
In the early 1990s, Ugan-
da was part of the Arusha
Peace Talks for Rwanda,
and it has been part of the
Inter-Governmental Au-
thority on Development
for Sudan and the Peace
Initiative for the Demo-
cratic Republic of Congo.
Furthermore, Uganda held
a non-permanent seat on
ALL OUR ACTIVITIES
ARE GEARED TOWARDS
PROTECTING THE
WELFARE OF OUR
CITIZENS AND MAKING
LIFE IN THE COUNTRY
BETTER
WILSON MURUULI MUKASA,
Minister of Security
the U.N. Security Coun-
cil during the 2009-2010
term, using the seat to ad-
vocate for increased pro-
tection for people affected
by war and for financial
compensation for dam-
ages incurred from war. In
addition, Ugandans have
served in Iraq and Afghan-
istan in the war against
terrorism.
Private security orga-
nizations also play a vital
role in Ugandas security.
For development in its
growing oil and infrastruc-
ture industries to contin-
ue, foreign investors need
confidence in Ugandas se-
curity.
Firms like Askar Secu-
rity Services provide this.
According to the com-
panys Managing Director
Kellen Kayonga, the secu-
rity industry collaborates
with government bodies
such as internal affairs, de-
fense, and the presidency,
together with external and
internal security organiza-
tions (ESO and ISO), the
Chieftaincy Military In-
telligence (CMI), and pri-
vate securities groups, all
to ensure that Uganda is a
safe place to live, work and
invest.
Askar also works with
the governments and se-
curity groups of other na-
tions. It is important to
work as a group (particu-
larly in the East African
Community) as the se-
curity of one country de-
pends on the security of
its neighbors, she states
Uganda is a nation that
should be taken serious-
ly in terms of its capa-
bilities. We are so deter-
mined that we do not let
obstacles keep us from
doing what we have set
out to do.
UGANDA SHOULD
BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY
IN TERMS OF ITS
CAPABILITIES. ITS
PEOPLE ARE HIGHLY
TRAINABLE. WE ARE SO
determined, we dont
LET OBSTACLES KEEP US
FROM DOING WHAT WE
HAVE SET OUT TO DO
KELLEN KAYONGA, Managing Director of
Askar Security Services
I
f youre a coffee drinker
chances are you may have
sampled some Uganda
Robusta, but not so well
known is the fact that
Uganda grows some of the
most delicious pineapples in the
world, a commodity that it hopes
to turn into sweet currency.
Ugandan pineapples are
sweet and fresh with the high-
est concentration of Vitamin C,
you do not need supplements,
says Amelia Anne Kyambadde,
Minister of Trade, Industry and
Cooperatives a post shes held
since 2011.
Pineapples and Ugandan ag-
ricultural business are among
the litany of areas that the coun-
try is looking to develop to keep
economic growth in step with
its population growth.
Uganda has a population of
36.5 million as of 2012 and a
population growth of 3.4%. Our
GDP is between $25 to $26 bil-
lion, with a growth rate of up to
7%, says Ms. Kyambadde. So
we are working very hard to
make sure that we correlate the
population growth with infra-
structure development.
Already one of the fast-
est growing economies in the
world, Uganda once referred
to as the Pearl of Africa by Sir
Winston Churchill has a set of
unique attributes that offers a
wealth of potential investment
opportunities. The country is
replete with natural resources,
including fertile soils, abundant
rainfall, sizeable deposits of
copper, cobalt and other miner-
als, untapped oil reserves, and
cheap land.
We used to give out the land
freely, but that was controver-
sial, says Ms. Kyambadde.
Now we offer it on an equity
basis. We have industrial parks,
which are a potential target for
investment. You pay a certain
fee, which is really minimal; it is
just a token, a commitment fee
that is deposited with the Ugan-
da Investment Authority before
they process your lease for the
49 years. The chunk of land you
get is a minimum of five acres.
Bargain basement prices for
space are just some of the incen-
tives that Uganda is offering to
lure some much needed dollars
to help key sectors like agricul-
ture, energy and manufacturing
Investors can expect a well
regulated highly liberalized
economy where they can re-
Unexplored horizons for being discovered. Uganda is
blessed with abundant natural resources, including fertile
soils, regular rainfall, deposits of copper, gold, and other
minerals, and recently discovered oil. Agriculture is the
most important sector of the economy, employing over
80% of the workforce
3 Wednesday, August 6, 2014 Distributed by USA TODAY
UGANDA
Our World Insert is produced by United World. USA Today did not participate in its preparation and is not responsible for its content
C
enturies ago,
Ugandan warriors
would chew coffee
beans before going
into battle so they
could feel strong and invincible.
Today Ugandans look to cof-
fees potency again, this time to
strengthen their economy by
increasing production of the
worlds most sought-after com-
modity next to oil.
Coffee, coffee, coffee... it has
a strong tradition and culture
in Uganda, says Henry Ngabi-
rano, Managing Director of the
Uganda Coffee Development
Authority. While tourists
come to Uganda for different
reasons, every tourist every day
might invariably use coffee.
As the head of the governing
body responsible for the pro-
motion and marketing of coffee
production in Uganda, Mr. Ng-
abirano is proud of his countrys
number one export crop, while
also being keenly aware of the
challenges that go with it.
When African leaders meet
for a three-day summit in
Washington D.C. next month,
Mr. Ngabirano hopes one of the
items on the presidential agen-
da will be coffee production.
It would be great if their dis-
cussions could include improv-
ing farmer coffee incomes, he
says. The global coffee indus-
try is rightly demanding more
and more sustainable coffee
production systems, including
environmentally friendly stan-
dards, which are not affordable
for small-scale farmers because
they dont earn enough from
coffee to meet those standards.
The government must support
them particularly in the area of
water and soil management.
Uganda is Africas second-
biggest coffee producer after
Ethiopia and eighth largest cof-
fee producer in the world, and
the worlds fourth largest Ro-
busta producer.
The variety of wild Robusta
coffees growing in Ugandas
rainforests are thought to be
some of the rarest examples of
naturally occurring coffee trees
anywhere in the world. It is a
birthright that Mr. Ngabirano
hopes to capitalize on.
In the last few years, Uganda
has been at the forefront in the
Robusta differentiation process,
and I am glad that the consum-
ers are now agreeable to the
idea of differentiated Robusta,
he says.
Cotton, the most environ-
mentally friendly fiber used
in making textiles and ap-
parel, has been produced in
Uganda since 1903 and is
grown by small-scale farmers
in two-thirds of the country.
Uganda produces a medium-
long staple fiber, which is
hand picked, roller ginned,
and is of premium quality.
Ugandas cotton quality stan-
dards are affiliated to most
international bodies, such as
the International Cotton As-
sociation, Bremen Cotton Ex-
change, and U.S. Department
of Agriculture. Uganda is also
a member of the International
Cotton Advisory Committee.
Cotton marketing and pro-
cessing have been liberalized
since 1994 and Uganda has
fostered its position as the
second largest producer of
cotton in East Africa by creat-
ing an enabling environment
for production and invest-
ment in value addition.
Following the liberalization
of marketing and process-
ing, the Cotton Development
Organization, a government
agency under the Ministry of
Agriculture, Animal Industry
and Fisheries, was created to
monitor and promote cot-
ton production, processing,
marketing, and regulation.
In collaboration with private
sector stakeholders, mainly
the ginners, capacity has been
created for producing high
quality cotton, thereby ensur-
ing a continuous supply of
raw material for cotton-based
industries.
Cottons by-products of
lint and cottonseed form the
basis for investment in the
cotton value chain. Hitherto,
there has been limited for-
eign direct investment in the
spinning and textiles sectors,
resulting in the export of lint
as a raw material, which in
turn affects farm-gate prices
and job creation, and erodes
the full economic benefits of
the value chain from farm to
fashion industry.
Supported by a 2009 Na-
tional Textile Policy, the gov-
ernment has put in place a
favorable investment climate
by offering several incentives
to manufacturers. Security of
people and property is guar-
anteed, foreign exchange is
liberalized, and infrastruc-
ture development is being
fast-tracked. In addition,
Uganda has a young, train-
able, English-speaking work-
force, readily available utili-
ties (electricity and water),
and an extensive national
road network, all of which
combines to provide excel-
lent investment opportuni-
ties in the Ugandan cotton
value chain.
The white gold:
100% Ugandan cotton
patriate their funds as they
wish, says Ms. Kyambadde.
They get to enjoy a number
of incentives, for example
they can bring in machin-
ery without paying taxes.
Likewise they are exempt
from corporation taxes for
10 years. Unlike other ad-
ministrations in the region,
the Ugandan government
does not require a 50%
ownership.
But the business environ-
ment is not all rosy. Instabil-
ity in South Sudan is a risk
for the Ugandan economy,
with Sudanese refugees
seeking to escape violent
conflicts in northern Ugan-
da. Unreliable power, high
energy costs, inadequate
transportation, infrastruc-
ture and corruption are also
factors in inhibiting eco-
nomic development and
investor confidence. Some
of these challenges Ms. Ky-
ambadde and her ministry
are meeting head on.
In a bid to fight corrup-
tion, we have had people
audited and taken to court.
Disputes are taken to the
commercial court and the
Inspector General of Gov-
ernment. We have repre-
sentatives in every office
who monitor operations.
Not everybody is keen
about it. But I like it because
it increases accountability
and helps end corruption,
she affirms.
In recent years, Uganda
has increased exports to
the United States from $26
million in 2004, to $45.8
million in 2011 and $47
million in 2013. Conversely,
the country has imported
more than $110 million
worth of U.S. goods.
To further increase trade
and take advantage of
Ugandas abundant natural
resources and strategic lo-
cation, Dr. Ben Manyindo,
Executive Director of the
Uganda National Bureau of
Standards (UNBS), identi-
fies four things are needed:
fixed standards for prod-
ucts and services; technol-
ogy; skilled labor; and infra-
structure.
Progress is evident. Dr.
Manyindo says that a to-
tal of 1,212 East African
standards have been har-
monized and are currently
under implementation and
benchmarked to interna-
tional best practices. He
adds that investors should
take a wider view of the
opportunities on offer and
look at three main markets:
the Common Market for
Eastern and Southern Af-
rica (COMESA), East Af-
rican Community (EAC),
and Southern African De-
velopment Community
(SADC).
The regional market is
getting bigger and bigger
and the possibilities of these
trade areas are unexplored.
Ugandas business environ-
ment is very friendly, mar-
ket oriented and with lot of
incentives, says Dr. Many-
indo. We are your passport
to the marketplace.
Blessed with huge
natural resources
Fisherman in Lake Victoria
Spreading
the aroma
from the
source of
the Nile
COFFEE COFFEE
COFFEEIT HAS A
STRONG TRADITION
AND CULTURE IN
UGANDA. EVERY
TOURIST EVERY DAY
MIGHT INVARIABLY USE
COFFEE
HENRY NGABIRANO,Managing Director
of the Uganda Coffee Development
Authority
Tea plantations in Toro Kingdom
WE WOULD LIKE TO
COVER THE ENTIRE
VALUE CHAIN OF
SOME OF OUR
COMMODITIES,
ESPECIALLY IN
AGRICULTURE, BUT
ALSO IN MINING,
TOURISM, INDUSTRY
AND ENERGY
AMELIA ANNE KYAMBADDE,
Minister of Trade, Industry
and Cooperatives
WE ARE YOUR
PASSPORT TO THE
MARKETPLACE
DR. BEN MANYINDO,
Executive Director of the UNBS
Our World Insert is produced by United World. USA Today did not participate in its preparation and is not responsible for its content
investment is sought to create a reliable national road network to facilitate the countrys economic development and build regional integration
The government is working
on mapping the lake to see
the safe routes and highlight
strategic places where it can build
landing sites while attracting
foreign investors to Lake Victoria
transportation
4 Wednesday, August 6, 2014 Distributed by USA TODAY
UGANDA
The road to unlocking Ugandas potential
holding back wider regional
integration within the East
African Community.
The country depends on
its agricultural sector to pro-
vide livelihoods for 60% of its
people, yet it is difficult to get
produce and crops to market.
One single, two-lane road
into Kenya takes about 80%
of Ugandas exports, so just
one road accident can cut off
overseas business.
Gasoline is very expensive
because of the high cost of
transporting it around the
country on dilapidated roads,
yet this is a country with
barely-exploited oil reserves.
Tourism is underdevel-
oped, communities and re-
gions suffer from a lack of
accessibility, and countless
economic opportunities go
unexploited, all because of
deficient roads.
It is difficult to think of
any other economic sector
in Uganda where investment
could so quickly and so radi-
cally transform the countrys
U
ganda is among
the worlds
countries most
dependent on
its roads net-
work. It is a big country, about
90% of the size of California
in both area and popula-
tion. But whereas California
has close to 90,000 miles of
maintained non-urban roads,
Uganda has a little more than
2,000 miles of paved roads,
with most of these being
of only a single lane or two
lanes. Moreover, landlocked
Uganda has little in the way
of alternative rail or air trans-
port facilities, so that roads
are just about the only option
available for people to move
around and to transport in-
ternally, or to export goods
and produce. Therefore, the
insufficient and precarious
state of the nations roads is
clearly impacting negatively
on economic and social prog-
ress and hindering the full
development of the countrys
natural resources, besides
development prospects and
the life perspectives of its
citizens, through the cata-
lytic role investment in roads
could play in this country
and the economic multiplier
effect that careful and priori-
tized investment would pro-
duce.
The government has al-
located about $4 billion to
pave some 40 priority roads.
James Abraham Byandaala,
the Minister of Works and
Transportation, recogniz-
es the scale of the task the
country faces, with funding
being a problem , despite
assistance provided from
the World Bank and the Af-
rican Development Bank.
The World Bank-supported
Uganda Transport Sector
Development Project, an ini-
tiative aimed at improving
links with some neighboring
countries to the west, will
now end in early 2016. The
government has concluded
an agreement with Chinas
Exim Bank to finance an ex-
pressway between Kampala
and Entebbe at a cost of $450
million, and is one the minis-
ter expects to be a toll road.
It is a model of public-private
partnership that is a fairly
new initiative to Uganda.
Starting along the right
road
In 2008, the Uganda National
Roads Authority (UNRA)
started operations with the
responsibility for the man-
agement, operation, develop-
ment and maintenance of the
countrys classified road net-
work. The move has already
produced improvements,
with more than 600 miles of
roads having been completed
in the last five years and 750
miles more now under con-
struction. UNRAs Executive
Director, Arthur Ssebbugga
Kimeze, recognizes that this
is only a start in this land-
locked country where roads
constitute the predominant
mode of transport with 90%
of cargo movements and
90% of passenger journeys
being made by road and
where roads impact every
aspect of socio-economic
development. Mr. Kimeze
emphasizes, however, that
the Authoritys Road Master
Plan is not only national in
its perspective but that it also
aims to bring about the mod-
ernization of the corridors
that link with neighboring
countries because they sup-
port regional growth.
The national budget for
2013-2014 allocated some
$720 million to UNRA for
new roads, the greatest
amount the Authority had
ever had and proof of the
governments commitment
to seriously tackling the
problem. At the same time,
UNRA has been developing
a model of contractor-fa-
cilitated financing procure-
ment, effectively an initiative
to bring additional private-
sector capital into the na-
tions roads. UNRA has also
WHEREAS
CALIFORNIA
HAS CLOSE TO
90,000 MILES OF
MAINTAINED NON-
URBAN ROADS,
UGANDA HAS LITTLE
MORE THAN 2,000
MILES OF PAVED
ROADS
Our World Insert is produced by United World. USA Today did not participate in its preparation and is not responsible for its content
5 Wednesday, August 6, 2014 Distributed by USA TODAY
UGANDA
The road to unlocking Ugandas potential
instituted a highly transpar-
ent and accountable tender-
ing and adjudication proce-
dure, including the extensive
use of foreign engineering
consultants to fully vet all
aspects before a contract is
awarded. Mr. Kimeze states
that this has given our sys-
tem credibility and bidders
are confident that the play-
ing field is level. He is proud
of UNRAs mission and of its
achievements so far, stating
that roads directly support
the economy, they keep the
country together, allowing
its citizens to work as a unit,
roads unite us.
International experience
delivering quality
One of the international
companies with a major
presence in Uganda is Ko-
lin Construction Company
from Turkey. Country Man-
ager Bruhan Nassur states
that Kolin is not in Uganda
only for one particular con-
tract, but that it has been in
the country since 2010, with
one of the attractions being
the fair, clear and attractive
tendering process followed
by UNRA.
The Kolin group already
has an extensive record of
contracts carried out in a
number of other countries in
Africa, including Libya, Ethio-
pia and Mozambique.
Mr. Nassur emphasizes
that his group always uses
first-rate materials, as well
as construction equipment
from USA and Germany. He
points out that their roads last
20 years a very important
THE OPPORTUNITIES
ARE HERE IF YOU
LOOK AT THE EA
SUB-REGION, RIGHT
FROM ETHIOPIA TO
KENYA, TANZANIA,
UGANDA, AND
MOZAMBIQUE. THE
EARLIER YOU COME
TO INVEST, THE
BETTER
JAMES ABRAHAM BYANDAALA,
Minister of Works and Transportation
ROADS DIRECTLY
SUPPORT THE
ECONOMY, THEY
KEEP THE COUNTRY
TOGETHER,
ALLOWING ITS
CITIZENS TO WORK
AS A UNIT. ROADS
UNITE US.
ARTHUR SSEBBUGGA KIMIEZE,
Executive Director of UNRA
I THINK THAT KOLIN
WAS THE FIRST
CONTRACTOR IN
UGANDA TO DELIVER
THE COMPLETED
JOB BEFORE THE
DEADLINE
BRUHAN NASSUR,
Country Director of Kolin
Construction, Tourism, Industry and
Trading Co. Inc.
AN INTERNATIONAL
PARTNER WOULD
BE ABLE TO BENEFIT
FROM OUR VAST
EXPERIECNE AND
KNOWLEDGE OF
THE INDUSTRY WHILE
LEARNING MORE
ABOUT UGANDA

BAGUMA CRESCENT,
Director of BCR General Ltd.
consideration with the heavy
use that is usual in Africa.
Kolin already has 800 staff in
Uganda, of which 90% are lo-
cal people, a measure of their
commitment to contributing
to long-term growth in the
country.
Kolin pre-qualified for three
tenders in Uganda and it is now
undertaking the upgrading of
the countrys 57-mile Hoima-
Kaiso-Tonya road, from gravel
to first-class tarmac.
Mr. Nassur says that their
intention from the start was
to deliver a high-quality job
using skilled expatriate engi-
neers and to intensively train
Ugandan staff so as to build
up a strong local capabil-
ity. He emphasizes that this
involved bringing in a new
work culture, one of work-
ing to international quality
standards while still meeting
tough deadlines.
Mr. Nassur adds, I think
that Kolin was the first con-
tractor in Uganda to deliver
the completed job before the
deadline. Kolin has a long-
term vision to build a very
sizable presence in the coun-
try, perhaps going beyond
construction projects and
into other areas in which the
group has expertise.
According to Mr. Nassur,
possibilities include cement
production, tourism, min-
ing and energy. He adds that
focusing on infrastructure is
the right way to go.
Building local skills and
capability
The government is keen to
develop a local capability in
the roads sector and UNRAs
Mr. Kimeze emphasizes that
this ambition extends to
contractors, consultants and
suppliers.
It is also seeking to strength-
en regulatory and professional
institutions involved in the
construction industry.
He states that there is a
large scope for local partici-
pation in roadworks, but at
the moment, the local firms
are mainly engaged in low-
value road maintenance.
He adds that UNRA
would like to develop them
so that they could compete
for new works and for the
reconstruction of existing
roads.
Mr. Kimeze also mentions
the possibility of small local
firms partnering with inter-
national companies in ten-
dering for bigger work, thus
growing their own capabil-
ity as the work is executed,
also making reference to the
governments Crossroads
Program, which helps small
contractors in the provision
of the tender security they
need to supply when putting
in bids for work.
One local firm that has
built a strong presence in
road-building is BCR Gen-
eral (Uganda) Ltd., whose
Managing Director Baguma
Crescent Rusoke explains
that they take on the small-
er, more local jobs, because
of funding reasons; we only
take on jobs that we can see
through to the end.
Mr. Rusoke states, how-
ever, that quality is always a
prime consideration for his
company and he adds that
linking with an overseas
company would be mutually
beneficial, saying, An inter-
national partner would be
able to benefit from our vast
experience and knowledge of
the industry while learning
more about Uganda.
He agrees with the idea of
empowering local contrac-
tors, referring to the trickle-
down effect on local com-
munities that this would
generate. BCR General pres-
ently has three contracts
with UNRA and has already
worked on a variety of roads
projects totaling more than
2,500 miles a good example
of local entrepreneurship.
Looking straight ahead
James Abraham Byandaala,
the Minister of Works and
Transportation, notes the ef-
forts made by Uganda over
the last five years to upgrade
its roads.
The government sees this
investment as a precursor to
the countrys social and eco-
nomic development, com-
ments the minister.
He adds that specific pri-
ority has been given to roads
in agriculturally productive
areas, to regions with oil po-
tential and to tourism loca-
tions, besides of course the
countrys export routes.
The minister and also
UNRA now want to build on
this to involve major interna-
tional companies more ex-
tensively, while also fostering
the development of an indig-
enous capability.
The management struc-
ture is in place, the tender-
ing and adjudication process
is recognized as exemplary.
This is a young country with
unexploited resources and
tremendous potential in a
region of great strategic im-
portance; it is a country with
hopes and ambitions, and
a belief in doing things the
right way.
THIS IS A YOUNG COUNTRY WITH UNEXPLOTED RESOURCES AND
TREMENDOUS POTENTAL IN A REGION OF GREAT STRATEGIC
IMPORTANCE; IT IS A COUNTRY WITH HOPES AND AMBITIONS, AND A
BELIEF IN DOING THINGS THE RIGHT WAY
Road in Toro Kingdom that connects to Rwanda and Congo
Kolin Construction uses first-rate materials and equipment to build the countrys new roads, such as the Hoima-Kaiso road in western Uganda
Kampala city view
The Jinja Road flyover project will debottleneck Kampala city by 2019
Our World Insert is produced by United World. USA Today did not participate in its preparation and is not responsible for its content
agriculture, mineral devel-
opment and processing, and
create transit-oriented devel-
opment, Mr. Kateeba says.
Moving from one location
to another is a basic need
shared by passengers, freight
and information. James By-
andala, Ugandas Minister of
Works and Transportation,
sees a correlation between
mobility and greater oppor-
tunity to develop on macro
and microeconomic levels.
When transport systems
are efficient, they provide
economic and social op-
portunities and benefits
that impact throughout the
economy, he says. Mobility
is a reliable indicator of de-
velopment.
Transportation and mo-
bility are linked to a level
of output, employment and
income that reflects the
whole economy, he adds,
commenting: In many de-
veloped countries, transpor-
tation accounts for between
6% and 12% of GDP.
Transportation is also
linked to producer, consum-
er, and production costs. For
this reason, the importance
of specific transport activi-
ties and infrastructure can
thus be assessed for each
sector of the economy.
Mr. Kateeba says the proj-
ects greatest value lies in
transport price reduction
for Ugandas industries and
exporters. We have a lot of
minerals and agricultural
produce, he says. However,
much of this cannot be de-
veloped because of the ex-
pensive UTC.
SGRs completion will
yield big development re-
turns, but rail wont meet all
of Ugandas transport needs.
6 Wednesday, August 6, 2014 Distributed by USA TODAY
UGANDA
W
ith an ex-
p e c t e d
economic
b e n e f i t
of $118
billion by 2040, Uganda is
transporting itself into the
future via high-capacity,
high-speed rail. Seeking to
correct past mistakes, the
country is planning to in-
vest $8.5 billion into the
construction of a standard-
gauge railway (SGR) that will
turn the landlocked country
into a land link and allow for
cheaper transport of imports
and exports throughout the
African continent.
We are sitting at the east-
ern edge of the Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC),
which has vast reserves of
iron ore, gold, tin, nickel,
copper, and much more, says
Charles Kateeba, Managing
Director of Uganda Rail-
ways Corporation (URC).
Most investors hesitate at
the notion of transporting
these minerals through un-
developed roadways from
a country that is triple the
size of France, he says. But
bringing the SGR through
Uganda and connecting it to
the DRC could be a solution
to this problem.
Additionally, plans for
the SGR include connecting
Uganda to oil-rich areas in
western Uganda, southern
Sudan, and northern Kenya,
and moving through Rwanda
down to Mombasa. This will
ease the current cost and in-
frastructure burden that all-
land transport incurs.
This railway is not only a
big step toward the future,
but also a big move toward
correcting past mistakes.
Because of the African con-
tinents multiple rail gauges,
long-range rail transport is
difficult and expensive.
You see, most of our rail-
way systems were built as co-
lonial avenues of transport,
says Mr. Kateeba. The main
objective was to transport
raw materials from the in-
teriors to the coast, and fin-
ished goods from the coast
to the interiors. Because of
a miscommunication dur-
ing the British construction
of East African Railways
(EAR), however, the conti-
nent ended up with three
gauges between Cairo and
Cape Town.
The history of URC is
intertwined with Uganda
itself. The railway was cre-
ated to strengthen the Brit-
ish hold on the nation. It
was reasoned that a reli-
able transport system was
necessary to bring in goods
and extract raw materi-
als. Though this move was
debated at the time, the
British anchored both the
construction of URC and
the capture of Uganda on
two points: the abolition of
the slave trade, which made
it necessary to construct
transport rather than rely-
ing on human labor, and re-
exportation of cash crops.
Now, Uganda is working
to collaborate with different
governments to boost the
SGR project, which is pro-
jected to create 50,000 jobs
directly and 150,000 indi-
rectly during construction.
Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and
South Sudan have signed
a cooperation agreement
that lays down the rules
and procedures of the URC
corporation; however, since
Tanzania has not signed the
agreement due to infrastruc-
ture concerns, the coun-
tries have adopted the term
North Corridor rather than
East African Community.
URC views the North Cor-
ridor SGR as a special cor-
ridor development project.
The railway is deliberately
designed to create townships
and business hubs around
the most productive areas of
the region. By doing that, we
want to stimulate growth in
The future runs on rails
With investments of $8.5 billion prioritized for a
standard-gauge railway, Uganda is set to become a
landlinked country rather than landlocked
This is why Uganda is striv-
ing to develop its aviation
sector as well, which has
grown from 118,000 inter-
national passengers to 1.4
million in 2013. There are
13 domestic airports and
one international airport in
Uganda, but a second inter-
national airport is planned
that will serve an oil refin-
ery in Hoima. That airport
will be needed by December
2015, two years before the
oil refinery is constructed.
The Civil Aviation Au-
thority (CAA) has set up a
department of marketing
and commercial services to
encourage export of Ugandas
agriculture, livestock and
fisheries. Dr. Wenceslaus
Rama Makuza, Managing
Director of the CAA, says,
In our plan for upgrading
and expansion of the interna-
tional airport, the first facility
we will look into is the con-
struction of a modern cargo
center. The design is already
in place with a capacity for
100,000 tons at a time. He
adds that this export poten-
tial lies in the European and
Middle Eastern markets.
At the same time, 60% of
air travelers are tourists glob-
ally, Dr. Makuza says. We
want to tap into that, he
adds. It is an area in which
there could be minimum in-
vestment with high returns.
By rail or by air, Uganda is
bolstering its transportation
sector and looking toward
the future. There are invest-
ment opportunities in all ar-
eas, Mr. Kateeba says. Our
ideal situation would be to
have a railway public-private
partnership (PPP) that will
involve infrastructure, op-
erations, and maintenance.
WE WANT TO
STIMULATE GROWTH
IN AGRICULTURE,
MINERAL
DEVELOPMENT
AND PROCESSING,
AND CREATE
TRANSIT-ORIENTED
DEVELOPMENT
CHARLES A. KATEEBA,
Managing Director of the URC
[AVIATION] IS AN
AREA IN WHICH
THERE COULD
BE MINIMUM
INVESTMENT WITH
HIGH RETURNS
DR. WENCESLAUS RAMA MAKUZA,
Managing Director of the CAA
Multibillion-dollar railway investments,
and upgrades at Entebbe International
Airport (pictured above, right), as well
as plans for a second international
airport are putting Uganda on track
to becoming one of the regions most
advanced economies
A COLLABORATION
OF VARIOUS
REGIONAL
GOVERNMENTS,
THE SINGLE-GAUGE
RAIL PROJECT IS
PROJECTED TO
CREATE 50,000
JOBS DIRECTLY
AND 150,000
INDIRECTLY DURING
CONSTRUCTION
Check-in Uganda
The modernization plans of Entebbe International Airport will turn
Uganda into the logistic hub and tourism entrance reference of the EAC
Our World Insert is produced by United World. USA Today did not participate in its preparation and is not responsible for its content
Vibrant
energy on
the move
Various energy and mineral projects aim to tap into
Ugandas resource-rich soils to help meet domestic
demand for power and add value to its mineral stocks
F
or years Uganda has
regarded its ICT
sector as a driver of
economic growth.
With more than
80% of the population living
outside cities, the govern-
ment created the Rural Com-
munications Development
Fund (RCDF) in 2003 to de-
ploy telephone, Internet and
postal services in rural areas.
The aim was to promote so-
cial equity and cohesion
Omnipresence universal
access rural areas
The RCDF has, in just over a
decade, helped to provide ev-
ery public secondary school
in Uganda with computer
labs, ICT Minister Nyombi
Thembo says, adding that,
We are also connecting
them to the internet.
Providing rural schools
with hardware, getting them
online and tweaking the cur-
riculum has helped children
in remote communities to
compete academically with
their urban counterparts,
who have traditionally out-
shone the country young-
sters, Mr. Thembo says.
ICT has also positively
impacted the agricultural
sector, in which eight in 10
Ugandans make a living.
Developers have come up
with a smartphone app that
identifies plant diseases and
recommends a cure, for in-
stance. And a group of young
Ugandans won last years
Womens Empowerment
Award at Microsofts global
student software competi-
tion, the Imagine Cup, in
Russia. The Ugandan young-
sters developed an app that
allows anyone with a smart-
phone and a custom piece of
software to see if they have
malaria, without drawing
blood or waiting days for lab
results. That project is look-
ing for investors.
Mobile financial services
Mobile money services have
helped to give the unbanked
many of whom live in ru-
ral areas access to finan-
cial services. The number of
mobile money subscribers
rose from 8.87 million in De-
cember 2012 to 14.2 million a
year later.
Ugandas burgeoning tele-
communications sector is
regulated by the Uganda
Communications Commis-
sion (UCC), whose mandate
covers broadcasting, tele-
communications and postal/
courier services. Godfrey
Mutabazi, Executive Direc-
tor at the UCC, says, UCCs
technology-neutral and firm
regulatory oversight has led
to significant decreases in
retail prices of communica-
tions services in Uganda,
among others, invariably en-
abling Ugandans to enjoy af-
fordable and easily accessible
communications services.
The regulator is also pro-
actively promoting state-
of-the-art telecom services
nationwide, working with
universities and regularly
participating in local event
projects. We are sponsoring
mobile-telephone distribu-
tion, and soon we shall cover
the entire country. We are
one of the few countries that
have achieved 100% GSM
coverage, and a penetration
of over 95%, says Mr. Muta-
bazi.
E-Government
While Ugandas burgeoning
telecommunications sector is
having a visible positive im-
pact on peoples lives, it is also
benefiting them in ways that
they do not immediately see.
ICT makes it easier to com-
municate with members of
the government, because each
ministry is required to have a
working, up-to-date website.
Investment attraction
The governments role in ICT
development is to ensure that
policies are investor-friendly
so that we get more capital
coming into the sector, Mr.
Thembo says.
We can see that commu-
nications is actually trans-
forming our country. Tax
contribution is close to about
400 billion Ugandan shillings
(around $150 billion). The
industry employs more than
a million people (directly
and indirectly). It is truly the
prime mover of the economy,
and we are happy to be part
of that revolution, he adds.
Currently, Uganda has
seven cell phone service pro-
viders and around 19 million
phone lines for a popula-
tion of around 36 million.
Internet penetration is only
around 22%.
When you consider the
size and demographic of the
population of the country
more than 65% below the
age of 15 this creates a huge
potential for future demand,
says Mr. Thembo. So, too,
does the fact that economists
are forecasting that Uganda
will be a middle-income
country in just over a decade.
Uganda is also looking for
investors to roll out fiber-op-
tic cable around the country,
to enable 4G technology to
be deployed. At present, only
around 8,000 kilometers of
fiber-optic cable have been
laid in the country of 240,000
square kilometers.
U.S. ICT companies are
already present in Uganda,
supplying the East African
country with hardware, soft-
ware and infrastructure, but
there is room for even more
outside investment in Ugan-
dan ICT.
With an increasing popu-
lation, improving standards
of living, expanded infra-
structure deployments and
investment, high literacy
and quality education, and a
young tech-savvy population,
the sky is the limit, says Mr.
Mutabazi.
We are actively encour-
aging value-added services
deployments and innovative
technology adoption, and
we foresee a bright future for
Uganda.
ICT: a global investment pull
7 Wednesday, August 6, 2014 Distributed by USA TODAY
UGANDA
E
nergy. Uganda has
it in abundance.
However the gov-
ernment sees en-
ergy not just as a
source of power and revenue,
but also as a prerequisite for
development.
A driving force behind
Ugandas push to develop its
energy sources is the need to
bring electricity to the 85% of
the population who does not
have it at present. To achieve
that goal, the government has
made rural electrification a
priority and has signed up to
be one of the pilot countries
for the United Nations Sus-
tainable Energy for All initia-
tive a program that aims to
provide universal access to
modern energy services, to
improve energy efficiency,
and to grow renewable en-
ergys share of the global en-
ergy pie.
Power to the people
Uganda is tapping into mul-
tiple energy sources to meet
domestic demand, which
is growing by around 10% a
year.
The government has lined
up a number of projects in
the energy sector, says Irene
Muloni, the Minister of En-
ergy and Min-
eral Develop-
ment. Projects
of interest in-
clude tapping
renewable en-
ergy sources
like hydro,
solar, geother-
mal, biomass,
wind and bio-
gas. Nuclear
energy is also
an option for
the future.
The call
of oil
The first com-
mercial dis-
covery of oil
was made as recently as 2006.
In just eight years, Uganda
has gone from no reserves
to proven crude
oil reserves of 2.5
billion barrels,
according to the
U.S. Energy Infor-
mation Adminis-
tration. Ms. Mu-
loni says reserves
are closer to 3.5
billion barrels,
and are located
on just 40% of the Albertine
Graben near Lake Albert in
western Uganda meaning
the other 60% is waiting to be
explored.
In February of this year,
Uganda signed deals with
Tullow Oil of Britain, Frances
Total, and the China National
Offshore Oil Corporation
(CNOOC) to develop its
reserves. Production is ex-
pected to start in two to three
years, and the oil will be used
initially for domestic power
generation, according to the
Minister. Eventually, how-
ever, Uganda plans to sell its
oil internationally. Any rev-
enues the country earns from
its oil will be ploughed into
infrastructure development
so that all Ugandans benefit
from this resource because it
belongs to us all, Ms. Muloni
says.
By 2017,
U g a n d a
plans to have
a refinery
capable of
e v e nt ua l l y
proces s i ng
60,000 bar-
rels a day.
As the
c o u n t r y s
oil industry
grows, the
U g a n d a n
government
is setting up
a regulatory
agency and
a national
oil company
that will do business on its
behalf. There are also plans
in the works to hold bidding
rounds for exploration licens-
es for the unexplored parts of
the Albertine Graben.
Ms. Muloni notes that with
one of the lowest costs in the
world for finding oil less
than $1 per barrel and one
of the highest drilling success
rates, at 85%, Uganda is an at-
tractive destination for inter-
national investors.
Mineral boom
There is also an alphabet soup
of mineral riches to draw in-
vestors to Uganda, everything
from bismuth to copper and
coltan, gold and granite, iron
ore and vermiculite, as ex-
amples.
Aerial magnetic surveys
have been conducted on 80%
of Uganda, allow-
ing the authorities
to better identify
which minerals are
where.
By being able
to identify things
better, we are in a
better position for
investors to come
in, conduct explo-
rations and add
value, says Ms.
Muloni.
Uganda is look-
ing for investors who can add
value to its raw materials, in-
cluding its minerals. Uganda
would benefit by selling its re-
sources and investors would
benefit from the 18% return
on investment.
And that, says Ms. Muloni,
is going to be a win-win situ-
ation.
ALL UGANDANS
[WILL] BENEFIT
FROM THIS [OIL]
RESOURCE BECAUSE
IT BELONGS TO
US ALL
IRENE MULONI,
Minister of Energy and Mineral
Development
INVESTORS ARE BEING SOUGHT TO ROLL OUT FIBER-
OPTIC CABLE AROUND THE COUNTRY, TO ENABLE 4G
TECHNOLOGY TO BE DEPLOYED. AT PRESENT, ONLY
AROUND 8,000 KILOMETERS OF FIBER-OPTIC CABLE
HAVE BEEN LAID IN THE 240,000KM
2
COUNTRY
WE ARE ACTIVELY
ENCOURAGING
VALUE-ADDED
SERVICES
DEPLOYMENTS
AND INNOVATIVE
TECHNOLOGY
ADOPTION. THE SKY
IS THE LIMIT
GODFREY MUTABAZI,
Executive Director of the UCC
ICT IS ACTUALLY
TRANSFORMING
OUR COUNTRY. IT
IS TRULY THE PRIME
MOVER OF THE
ECONOMY, AND
WE ARE HAPPY TO
BE PART OF THAT
REVOLUTION
NYOMBI THEMBO,
Minister of State of ICT
the nations information
and communication tech-
nology (ICT) sector has
registered astronomical
growth over the years,
and is ranked amongst the
fastest growing in Africa.
Uganda and its friendly
business environment bring
a wide range of hi-tech
opportunities in areas such
as data, mobile banking,
and fiber-optics
Our World Insert is produced by United World. USA Today did not participate in its preparation and is not responsible for its content
S
now on the equator,
the largest fresh-
water lake in Af-
rica, and the longest
river in the world.
Organic, pesticide-free pro-
duce and 30 different types
of banana. This is Uganda for
tourists, where lush vegeta-
tion, wild game, and friendly
locals come together to make
Uganda an inviting home-
away-from-home for travelers
in search of everything from
cultural interaction to wild
game to extraordinary beauty.
Even during British colonial-
ist times, Ugandas unique char-
acter and incomparable beauty
were recognized. Sir Winston
Churchill coined the phrase
The Pearl of Africa when he
described the country in his
book, and the country has em-
braced this moniker.
Fifty-two years after gain-
ing independence, Uganda
is seeking to share its natural
gifts on a global scale by at-
tracting tourists to the travel
experience the country offers.
With its strategic location, the
country is easily accessible
from other continents. Once
tourists touch down, Uganda
can be a gateway to other East
African Community tourist
destinations. Strategic location
is just one of many qualities
that make a trip to Uganda an
attractive vacation experience.
Uganda is known for its fo-
cus on peace, and its citizens
are known as the happiest in
the world. Fifty-two ethnic
groups coexist amid kingdoms
that were established up to 400
years ago, and Uganda con-
sciously works to conserve their
lifestyles, traditions, and cui-
sines. Friendly Batwa pygmies
have come out of the forest and
allow tourists to peek into their
lives, sharing wisdom that they
have learned from ancestors
who used to live in the forest.
Spanish-speaking tourists
might also find a pleasantly sur-
prising connection with a sub-
group of the Karamajong peo-
ple in Uganda. Though these
agro-pastoral herders hail from
the northeast of the African
country, there is a sub-group
whose language is understand-
able for Spanish speakers.
To support each regions dif-
ferent ethnic groups, beliefs
and cultures, the Board of the
Uganda Wildlife Authority
gives 20% of income generated
from national parks to local
communities. Additionally,
some groups are given access to
medical grants, allowing them
to treat themselves. Because of
this allotment, both commu-
nities and national parks have
grown in the country, allowing
for schools, heritage centers,
and access to nearby markets.
Still, Ugandas diversity is
only part of its tourist appeal.
In addition to its friendly locals,
Uganda is one of two countries
in the world through which the
equator passes. This actually
gives the country a huge advan-
tage climate-wise, because the
country is on the equator, but at
a high altitude, meaning year-
round comfortable weather
and mountains with snow
at their peaks, like the famed
Mount Kilimanjaro.
Snow is at the top, but water
is on the ground, and plenty of
it. Uganda is the source of the
Nile River, the longest river
in the world. Addition-
ally, the country is home
to the only Great Lake
Region in the world
outside of the U.S., Lake Victo-
ria. Ugandas high altitudes and
numerous mountains have also
created several waterfalls. At one
spot, the Nile passes through
four meters of rock, creating
the Murchison Falls. Adventure
tourists can include kayaking
or white-water rafting in their
travel itineraries, then they can
balance the adrenaline rush (or
soothe aching limbs) in one of
Ugandas natural hot springs.
To take in some of the re-
publics famed flora and fauna,
tourists can also choose from
10 national parks to visit. In a
country that is one-third water,
biodiversity thrives, and it is
home to more than 1,000 spe-
cies of birds, several of which
are unique only to Uganda.
This makes the country home
to the highest concentration
of birds on the African con-
tinent, and a famed
bird-watching des-
tination globally.
Additionally,
Uganda has the
Big 50 the
largest concentration of the
endangered mountain gorillas
on the planet. The country is
one of only three in the world
where these gorillas reside. It is
also home to 13 other types of
primates, including the chim-
panzee. Visitors can view these
animals in their habitats, or on
the uniquely Ugandan boat sa-
fari, where they can observe wild
game without the risk of distur-
bance that a noisy car creates.
Uganda views tourism as
an economic game-changer,
and considering that tourism
is the worlds largest employer,
its easy to see why. In addition,
the tourist sector can influ-
ence all other sectors. Tourism
development can lead to not
only employment, but also de-
velopment in Ugandas rural
areas, where most of the tour-
ism sites are located. Even now,
the country has a strong service
sector that brings in foreign ex-
change.
In Uganda, East African
Savannah meets West Afri-
can jungle to create an ex-
perience that is unlike any
other. In this country, tour-
ists can shape whatever ex-
perience they are looking for,
from culturally-expanding
interaction with smiling lo-
cals to gorilla tracking, bun-
gee jumping and relaxing in
hot springs while eating or-
ganic produce. Or they can
do all of the above.
8 Wednesday, August 6, 2014 Distributed by USA TODAY
UGANDA
THE EAST AFRICA
SINGLE TOURISM VISA
IS A STRONG SIGNAL
OF THE EAST AFRICAN
COMMITMENT TO
MARKETING EAST
AFRICA AS A SINGLE
DESTINATION
MARIA MUTAGAMBA,
Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and
Antiques
Destination Uganda
Sesse Islands, white sand beaches on Lake Victoria
Uganda is the source
of the Nile, the longest
river in Africa
The Rwenzori
Mountains, or
Mountains of
the Moon, are
permanently
snow capped
Over 50% of the bird species
in Africa live in Uganda
Some 54% of the
worlds mountain
gorillas reside in
Uganda
The unique
climbing lions of
Queen Elizabeth
National Park
Beats and rhythms, Kampala nightlife
Forest and
savannah
elephants
Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
Diversity of culture, history and heritage
Wild adventure at Kidepo National Park, Africas leading National Park 2013