Uganda, Qatar Plot Trade Expansion Beyond US$25m

Doha, State of Qatar | 27 July 2026

The Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uganda, H.E. Hon. Haruna Kasolo Kyeyune, has successfully concluded an official visit to the State of Qatar marked by high-level engagements aimed at strengthening bilateral trade, investment and economic cooperation between the two friendly countries in line with H.E. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s Economic and Commercial Diplomacy agenda.

The highlight of the visit was a meeting with H.E. Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Sayed, Minister of State for Foreign Trade Affairs at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, during which the two leaders reviewed the status of Uganda–Qatar economic relations and agreed on practical measures to unlock the immense trade and investment potential existing between the two countries.

At the beginning of the meeting, Dr. Ahmed warmly welcomed Hon. Kasolo and his delegation to the Ministry and conveyed the apologies of H.E. Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani, Minister of Commerce and Industry, who was unable to receive the Ugandan delegation due to official commitments outside Doha.

Hon. Kasolo conveyed warm greetings from H.E. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda, and reaffirmed Uganda’s commitment to Economic and Commercial Diplomacy as the cornerstone of its foreign policy.

Uganda’s Acting Foreign Affairs Minister, Hon. Haruna Kasolo Kyeyune, and Uganda’s Special Presidential Envoy to Qatar, H.E. Amb. Dr. Rashid Yahya Ssemuddu, walk during the Minister’s official engagements in Doha.

The Acting Minister highlighted Uganda’s attractive investment climate, emphasizing the country’s political stability, investor-friendly policies, abundant natural resources, youthful and competitive labour force, and preferential access to regional markets through the East African Community (EAC), COMESA and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

He invited Qatari investors to take advantage of Uganda’s vast opportunities in manufacturing and industrialisation, agriculture and agro-processing, mining and mineral value addition, renewable energy, oil and gas, information and communication technology, tourism, logistics, infrastructure development and financial services.

The two Ministers agreed that the current level of bilateral trade remains far below its enormous potential. Dr. Ahmed observed that the existing trade volume of approximately US$25 million does not reflect the strong political relations and economic opportunities available between Uganda and Qatar. He encouraged both governments to intensify efforts aimed at significantly increasing trade and commercial exchanges.

H.E. Amb. Dr. Rashid Yahya Ssemuddu, Uganda’s Special Presidential Envoy to the State of Qatar Confirmed to The Qatari Minister of trade that the Uganda–Qatar Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement was signed during the 2017 State Visit and the Qatari Minister emphasized the need to operationalise it and he also called for the activation of the Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement to facilitate greater confidence and increased investment between the two countries.

Amb. Muhammad Baswale Kezaala, Deputy Ambassador of Uganda in Doha, explained that implementation of some of the bilateral agreements had unfortunately been delayed after the signed documents were misplaced for several years before they were eventually recovered and he further informed the Qatari minister that several draft Memoranda of Understanding proposed by Uganda, including those between the Uganda Investment Authority and the Qatar Investment Authority and between the respective Chambers of Commerce, remain under consideration and Hon Kasolo expressed hope that they would be concluded soon.

H.E. Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Sayed, Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Trade Affairs (right), walks with Uganda’s Acting Foreign Affairs Minister, Hon. Haruna Kasolo Kyeyune, during their engagement in Doha. In the background is Uganda’s Special Presidential Envoy to Qatar, H.E. Amb. Dr. Rashid Yahya Ssemuddu.

Both sides also underscored the importance of strengthening institutional cooperation through the early convening of the Uganda–Qatar Joint Permanent Commission (JPC), closer collaboration between the Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Qatar Chamber of Commerce, regular engagements between the private sectors of both countries, and the establishment of effective follow-up mechanisms to implement agreed decisions.

On investment cooperation, Dr. Ahmed pledged to encourage leading Qatari investment institutions and companies—including the Qatar Investment Authority, Hassad Food, QatarEnergy, Qatar Petroleum and other government investment entities—to explore strategic investment opportunities in Uganda.

He further undertook to provide Uganda with a comprehensive list of Qatari products suitable for the Ugandan market while requesting Uganda to reciprocate by sharing a corresponding list of Ugandan products for export to Qatar in order to facilitate increased bilateral trade.

Hon. Kasolo extended an official invitation to Dr. Ahmed to visit Uganda and witness first-hand the country’s enormous investment opportunities while engaging directly with both public and private sector stakeholders. The invitation was warmly accepted, with the Qatari Minister indicating that preparations for an official visit to Uganda would commence in due course.

Before concluding his official programme in Doha, Hon. Haruna Kasolo was accompanied by H.E. Amb. Dr. Rashid Yahya Ssemuddu, Uganda’s Special Presidential Envoy to the State of Qatar to visit the Embassy of the Republic of Uganda, where he met members of staff led by Amb. Muhammad Baswale Kezaala, Deputy Ambassador.

During the meeting, the Acting Minister commended the Embassy for its efforts in advancing Uganda’s foreign policy objectives and urged all officers to fully embrace Economic and Commercial Diplomacy (ECD) as the guiding principle of Uganda’s diplomatic engagements abroad.

He emphasized that every Ugandan Mission must actively contribute to the country’s socio-economic transformation by attracting investment, expanding export markets, promoting tourism, mobilising technology transfer, facilitating strategic partnerships and creating employment opportunities for Ugandans.

Hon. Kasolo reminded the Embassy staff that H.E. President Museveni’s Ten-Fold Growth Strategy seeks to increase Uganda’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from the current US$63 billion to US$500 billion by the year 2040. He stressed that achieving this ambitious national target requires every diplomatic mission to move beyond traditional diplomacy and become a strategic centre for investment promotion, trade facilitation, export development and economic transformation.

He encouraged the Embassy to continue strengthening engagement with government institutions, sovereign wealth funds, major corporations, investors and the private sector in Qatar so as to translate the excellent political relations between Uganda and the State of Qatar into tangible economic benefits for the people of Uganda.

Following the successful conclusion of all official engagements, Hon. Haruna Kasolo Kyeyune was escorted to Hamad International Airport through the Ministerial Lounge by H.E. Amb. Dr. Rashid Yahya Ssemuddu, Uganda’s Special Presidential Envoy to the State of Qatar, Amb. Muhammad Baswale Kezaala, Deputy Ambassador of Uganda in Doha, and senior Protocol Officers from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar before departing Doha.

The visit marked another significant milestone in the steadily growing relations between Uganda and the State of Qatar and reaffirmed the commitment of both countries to translate their excellent political relations into stronger economic partnerships, increased trade, enhanced investment and sustainable development for the mutual benefit of their peoples.
The minister had a courtesy meeting in Doha with H.E Ambassador Ahmed Bin Muhammad Alzuwaidi the Ambassador of the state of Qatar to Uganda