Uganda’s Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury (PS/ST), Ramathan Ggoobi, has challenged Ugandan Heads of Mission abroad to transform the country’s foreign missions into engines of economic growth, warning that diplomacy must now be measured by tangible economic results.
Speaking during the Annual Retreat on Economic and Commercial Diplomacy (ECD) Implementation, Ggoobi said Uganda’s ambassadors and diplomats must move beyond traditional diplomatic engagements and focus on attracting investments, expanding export markets, promoting tourism, and creating economic opportunities.
“Any Head of Mission that does not bring investments should be recalled,” Ggoobi said, stressing the need for performance-based diplomacy.
He added that Uganda requires clear targets for its missions abroad, noting: “We need clear deliverables for our missions abroad. Avoid being everywhere and nowhere.”
In his keynote address themed “Setting the National Context: ECD in Uganda’s Tenfold Growth Agenda,” Ggoobi said economic diplomacy has become a central pillar in Uganda’s ambition to grow its economy to USD 500 billion by 2040.
He explained that achieving this target will require aggressive mobilisation of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), increased exports, higher tourism inflows, and stronger partnerships with global markets.
“Economic diplomacy is no longer a polite supplement to political duties. It is the frontline of Uganda’s economic transformation,” he noted.
Ggoobi urged Uganda’s foreign missions to operate as “economic delivery units,” saying diplomats must master trade analytics, investment sourcing, investor aftercare, and rapid response to business opportunities.
He further emphasised that missions must help Uganda move up the value chain by attracting technology, capital, and new markets instead of relying heavily on primary and semi-processed exports.
The Treasury chief also highlighted the importance of engaging Ugandans in the diaspora, describing them as market scouts, brand champions, and commercial bridges who can support Uganda’s global economic ambitions.
He said government resources will increasingly follow measurable results, including investment secured, exports expanded, tourist arrivals generated, and economic partnerships delivered.
“Our foreign policy now carries an explicit economic mandate,” Ggoobi said, urging diplomats to align their work with Uganda’s Tenfold Growth Strategy and move “from planning to execution.”
