“Reforms are in motion. Infrastructure is improving. Trade ties are strengthening. The moment for partnership is now.”

UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Uganda, Rwanda, and the DRC
📍 UK–Africa Business, Trade & Investment Summit 2025
📅 12 September 2025 | The Royal Horseguards Hotel & One Whitehall Place, London

Building Confidence Through Reform and Partnership

At the 15th UK–Africa Business, Trade & Investment Summit, Lord Dolar Popat, the UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Uganda, Rwanda, and the DRC, delivered a bold and pragmatic roadmap for deepening UK–Uganda investment relations. His message was clear: Uganda stands at the threshold of a new era of competitiveness, credibility, and investor confidence.

“Reforms are in motion. Infrastructure is improving. Trade ties are strengthening. The moment for partnership is now.” — Lord Dolar Popat

Lord Popat emphasised that investor confidence — more than capital or policy — is the cornerstone of economic success. He praised Uganda’s progress in trade and financial reform, citing new measures that have stabilised the business environment. He also spotlighted UK-led initiatives such as UK Export Finance (UKEF) and British International Investment (BII) — with BII’s green portfolio surpassing £1 billion, supporting renewable energy, industrial zones, and logistics. These partnerships, he noted, reflect the UK’s growing confidence in Uganda’s direction.

Connectivity and Competitiveness

Lord Popat hailed Uganda Airlines’ new direct route to London Gatwick, operating four times weekly, as a “game changer” for trade logistics. Each flight carries up to 15 tonnes of fresh produce, linking Ugandan farmers to premium markets and transforming supply-chain competitiveness.

“Connectivity creates competitiveness — and Uganda is now connected to the world.”

Strategic Growth Sectors and Industrialisation

Lord Popat identified three immediate investment areas for UK–Uganda collaboration:

• Agriculture – modernising agro-processing and export diversification.
• Mining – advancing ethical, certified mineral development and local value addition.
• Infrastructure – strengthening logistics, transport, and renewable energy under the AfCFTA framework.

He highlighted Namanve Industrial Park, backed by UKEF, as a blueprint for public–private industrial growth and technology transfer.

Uganda’s Entrepreneurial Edge

“Uganda has the people, the potential, and the positioning,” said Lord Popat. He noted that Uganda’s youth and private sector leaders — such as Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia — embody the entrepreneurial energy required for sustainable, inclusive growth.

“What’s needed now is continued collaboration and simplification of investment processes.”

The UK–Africa Synergy and the Path Ahead

Closing his address, Lord Popat urged stakeholders to translate goodwill into measurable outcomes. Investor confidence, he said, thrives at the intersection of governance, infrastructure, and inclusion. Uganda’s transformation journey, he concluded, is entering its most promising phase — one defined by confidence, competitiveness, and connectivity.

Key Takeaway

Uganda is solidifying its status as one of Africa’s most credible investment frontiers — combining reform, innovation, and strong UK partnerships. With strategic collaboration across agriculture, mining, infrastructure, and energy, Uganda’s transition from potential to prosperity is well underway.