• GDP: US$6 billion (2003).
• Main exports: Coffee, fish and fish products, tea, tobacco, cotton, corn, beans and sesame.
• Main imports: Manufactured goods, machinery, transport equipemnt, chemicals and fuels.
• Main trade partners: Kenya, UK, South Africa and India.

Agriculture dominates the Ugandan economy, accounting for half of total output and employing over 80 per cent of the workforce. Livestock rearing and a wide range of subsistence crops meet local needs; coffee is the main export commodity. Tobacco, tea, sugar cane and cocoa are also grown for export, and some processing of these is now carried out locally. The industrial sector produces textiles, cement, fertilisers, metal goods and a variety of household items. There are large deposits of copper and cobalt, the mining of which has been disrupted by civil wars and insurgency. In addition, there are known deposits of tin, tungsten, beryllium and tantalum ores. The relatively small tourism industry has suffered from the worldwide downturn since 2002. That year, Uganda received 350,000 visitors; the sector was worth US$250 million to the economy.
The economy recorded fairly steady economic growth throughout most of the last decade (averaging six per cent annual growth between 1998 and 2003) and, in contrast with much of the rest of Africa, has enjoyed a series of good harvests. The most pressing problem has been the country’s debt burden. Uganda has benefited from several cancellations of long-term debt under a programme operated by the Paris Club of major donors and, more recently, the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries relief programme. Its total external debt now stands at just under US$4 billion. In exchange, the Government has been obliged to introduce a series of economic reforms, principally the removal of price controls and trade restrictions and a reduction in government spending. Uganda is a member of the African Development Bank and of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). In 2003, Uganda joined with neighbouring Kenya and Tanzania in a plan to revive the East African Customs Union (a previous attempt folded in 1977).

A suit and tie are best worn by men for business meetings. English is used for all business discussions. Appointments should always be made. Office hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1230/1300 and 1400-1630/1700.

The Uganda International Conference Centre with its main auditorium and three committee rooms has seating for up to 2000 persons. It is adjacent to the 4-star Nile Hotel and is 3km (2 miles) from the centre of Kampala. The Speke Resort & Country Lodge Munyayo, with 10 state-of-the-art conference rooms with modern facilities, has a capacity of over 3000 people. For further information, contact the Uganda Tourist Board (see Top Things To See & Do).

Uganda Investment Authority
PO Box 7418, Investment Centre, Plot 28, Kampala Road, Kampala, Uganda
Tel: (41) 301 000 or (81) 251 562 or (75) 251 562.
Website: www.ugandainvest.com