President Yoweri Museveni has called for stronger economic cooperation between Uganda and Italy, with the two countries exploring new opportunities in coffee, trade, investment, infrastructure and skills development.
Museveni made the call during a meeting with Italy’s Ambassador to Uganda, Mauro Massoni, at State House, where the envoy briefed him on ongoing bilateral engagements and plans to deepen economic cooperation.
The President welcomed efforts to expand collaboration with Italian companies and thanked Ambassador Massoni for the update on areas of cooperation between the two countries.
Massoni informed Museveni that a high-level Italian delegation is expected to visit Uganda to explore opportunities for increased trade and investment.
The delegation will be led by the Secretary General of Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is expected to include officials from Italy’s development and export finance institutions, alongside traders and business leaders.
During the visit, the Italian delegation will hold discussions with Ugandan counterparts on potential investment and commercial opportunities.
Coffee takes centre stage
Coffee development emerged as one of the key areas of cooperation, with Massoni briefing Museveni on plans for a project designed to support Uganda’s coffee industry and smallholder farmers.
The Italian delegation is also expected to participate in preparations for the groundbreaking of a Coffee House at Kyambogo University, further strengthening cooperation around Uganda’s coffee value chain.
Coffee remains one of Uganda’s major export commodities, making value addition, farmer support and access to international markets central to the country’s efforts to increase export earnings.
Business forum planned for Rome
Uganda and Italy are also preparing for the Uganda Business Forum, scheduled to take place in Rome in October.
The forum is expected to bring together Ugandan and Italian businesses to identify new commercial partnerships and investment opportunities.
“This forum will bring together Ugandan and Italian businesses and provide an opportunity to explore new trade and investment partnerships,” Massoni said.
Uganda’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives is expected to participate in the forum.
Infrastructure and regional connectivity
The discussions also covered infrastructure and investment opportunities, including the Tororo Cement project.
Museveni expressed interest in initiatives that could strengthen Uganda’s regional transport and trade links, particularly improved connections to the railway network towards Tanzania.
Better regional connectivity is viewed as critical to lowering transportation costs, expanding market access and strengthening Uganda’s position in regional trade.
Skills transfer and health cooperation
The two sides also discussed cooperation in health and skills development.
Massoni informed Museveni that doctors from Lubowa Hospital are currently undertaking training in Italy as part of efforts to strengthen technical capacity and skills transfer.
The discussions underscore Uganda and Italy’s push to broaden bilateral relations beyond traditional diplomatic engagement and towards practical economic and technical cooperation.
With an Italian business delegation expected in Uganda and a Uganda Business Forum planned for Rome in October, both sides are positioning investment, trade, coffee development, infrastructure and skills transfer as key pillars of the expanding partnership.
