Thousands of local and international guests have gathered in the capital Kampala to showcase at the 30th Uganda International Trade Fair.
Running under the theme, Celebrating 30 years of Industrial Excellence the fair opened on October 2 and will run up to October 10, a day after the Pearl of Africa celebrates her 62nd Independence Anniversary.
According to the East African Business Council (EABC), the fair is organized by Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA).
“The fair attracts 1,350 exhibitors from 28 countries and 25,000 daily unique visitors. UGITF offers an unparalleled opportunity to showcase your products and services. Many previous exhibitors have reported significant increases in sales following the exposure provided by the trade fair,” EABC said in a statement.
“The fair is open to all sectors, including but not limited to manufacturing, electrical, chemicals, petroleum products, plastics, rubber, packaging, leather, tourism, food and beverages, education services, and the auto industry,” the council added.
Businesses interested in exporting, importing, or finding new clients and suppliers in Uganda are strongly encouraged to participate or exhibit, EABC noted.
UMA said the trade fair is part of a process that the government started in 1988, “to construct a culture of industrialization that not only provides Ugandan households with basic consumer goods, but also contributes to the national GDP and jobs.”
During the fair, manufacturers will be able meet the traders that would want to be agents of some of these products and distributors.
“This culture of contributing to improving the welfare of Ugandans has so far resulted in close to two million direct jobs from the manufacturing sector,” the association states.
In addition to the jobs, other milestones reached since the first trade fair was held include increased growth of manufacturing output from $16.6 million in 1992 to $7.4 billion today.
The fair is sponsored by various companies. The Platinum sponsors include Total Energies and Roofings Group, while the silver sponsors are Stanbic Bank and Smartec (the sellers of Hisense electricals). Tembo Steels, MMI Integrated Steels, Pro Bio, K-Roma and Good Briquette Initiative Limited are the Bronze sponsors.
The first fair was held in 1992, as a way for Uganda’s nascent manufacturing to supply the public with scarce commodities and household items, the Trade Fair, evolved two years later, to become International by 1994.
