President Yoweri Museveni is expected in Belgrade, Serbia this weekend to launch the first ever trade centre.
This was confirmed by the ministry of foreign affairs, whose officials have already travelled to Belgrade ahead of the president’s arrival.
Earlier, Museveni said he would go along with a team of more than 60 companies that will showcase Uganda’s products to the Balkan states.
Museveni, himself, had in June confirmed the travel to the Balkans while meeting member of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Investment (PACEID). The team was led by PACEID Chairman Odrek Rwabwogo and included representatives from Serbia.
He asked his Serbian guests and their government to support Uganda’s flourishing agricultural sector.
“I’m delighted to introduce to you the organic, fresh in nutrients agricultural products from Uganda. Our products are grown on smallholder farms with very much care about the preparation because that is what we eat and it is also part of the heritages of families. They don’t do it just for business, they do it because that is their heritage which has now become commercially relevant,” Museveni told the team.
Museveni thanked the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, for inviting him over to Belgrade to open the East African country’s trade hub there.
“I will be coming with a delegation of 60 companies and businesspeople who will bring you food and other products. We would like them to partner with your companies to invest more in the agriculture sector in Uganda,” he said before revealing that Serbia had already expressed interest in Uganda’s pineapples, coffee, grains, flowers, dairy and banana products.
“We commit to offer you all incentives on land, taxes and access to the larger market of Africa,” he assured, adding that he had asked Uganda Airlines to discuss partnership plans with Air Serbia.
Uganda is seeking new markets in the Balkan states, with the Pearl of Africa due to open a trade centre in Belgrade in July.
The Balkans region contains several countries including Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia, Greece, Bulgaria and Romania.