Lord Jonathan Marland, Chamber of Commerce & Industry President, Olive Kigongo and Trade Minister Francis Mwebesa pose for a photo at Serena last evening.
Uganda’s private sector players through the Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industries last evening interacted with the Chairman of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment council (CWEIC), Lord Jonathan Marland at the Kampala Serena Hotel to find ways and areas of collaboration. Marland arrived in the country at short notice days ago at the invite of the Chamber. On Wednesday, he had about 45 minutes with President Yoweri Museveni, and later a diner with the private sector players in Uganda to extensively discuss the major engagements of CWEIC and how the private sector in Uganda can benefit from the various programs. While addressing members of the private sector, Marland said the Council is now helping nations and businesses and that he was very excited about what is going on in Africa and in Uganda specifically where “your leadership wants to really go and out and sell Uganda”
“This is a key change for Uganda, in my view,” Marland said: “Working with us I hope will put Uganda on the map as the powerhouse to productivity and growth. Now is the time to open floodgates. The world is getting smaller. The endeavor to create trade and Africa as an incredible powerhouse is a remarkable achievement. So, the foundations are set for this country to lead Africa onwards to prosperity, growth and solving the problems associated with the Continent.”
We will be back, he concluded.
Hosting, Marland, the Chamber’s President, Olive Kigongo said is one way of attracting investment in Uganda.
“It’s networking. They (Council) have members as well across the Commonwealth member countries and our role is to engage with them, to network with them to find out whether they are interested in investing in Uganda and vice versa.
In an exclusive interview with Kigongo, she said Marland asked her what the Ugandan business people want to do but noted that she could not speak on behalf of everybody.
“What we have to do is to get information from the business people and the individual business people take the advantage. The business council has businesses and membership and we want them to work with our people
Speaking as Chief Guest, the Minister of Trade and Industries, Francis Mwebesa said Marland is in the country to look into the affairs of the Chamber as regards trade and business.
“There is an assurance of every Ugandan goods produced. The only thing is that we don’t have enough to satisfy the market that is required by some of our products but we have reasonable amount of coffee and tea (which have a market everywhere in the World),” Mwebesa said in an exclusive interview shortly after making a presentation. During his presentation, Mwebesa noted that the partnership between the Chamber and the Council needs to harness in order for the floodgates of opportunities to be opened. He tasked Kigongo to fast track each engagement with Marland and his team.
While giving a vote of thanks, the Chamber’s Vice President, Festus Matovu pledged that “we shall be doing good business with the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment council (CWEIC).”
