The Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development (PACEID) has today, Wednesday, November 5, 2025, launched the Uganda Connect International Buyers Week, scheduled from 25–28 November 2025, at the Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort, under the theme “Meet. Connect. Trade.”
The Uganda Connect International Buyers’ Week aims to position Uganda as a competitive source of high-quality products and services for global markets. The event will gather vetted international buyers, investors, and trade representatives for business deals, factory visits, product sampling, and trade facilitation.
Odrek Rwabwogo
The Chief Guest at the Buyers Week will be His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda, who will officially open the event and address local exporters, international buyers, and investors. His presence underscores the government’s strong commitment to accelerating export-led industrialization and promoting sustainable markets for Ugandan products and services globally.
Matthew Bagonza, PACEID Head of Secretariat, emphasized that the Buyers Week is a practical step in transforming Uganda’s export potential into real market access and sustainable partnerships. “This annual event will showcase Uganda’s export-ready products and services to the world. Initiatives like the Buyers Week are a practical expression of our mission, turning Uganda’s production capacity into structured and sustained market access,” Bagonza said.
PACEID Head of Secretariat with the released quarterly performance report
This year’s edition introduces a new feature, the Uganda Connect Marketplace, an open-access platform showcasing Uganda’s best export-ready brands through live demonstrations, buyer sampling, and consumer engagement.
During her presentation, Ms. Brenda Katarikawe Opus, PACEID Director of Markets, outlined the event’s key objectives:
- Enhance market access – identify and address barriers currently faced by exporters in accessing international markets.
- Strengthen market confidence – demonstrate Uganda’s capacity, quality standards, and reliability as a global exporter.
- Share market intelligence – learn from international buyers about emerging trends and long-term sourcing requirements.
- Facilitate trade agreements – connect vetted Ugandan exporters with international buyers for direct deal negotiations.
- Celebrate export success – highlight Uganda’s achievements in high-value export sectors such as coffee, fruits, and vegetables.
PIBIF Director General Prof. Rev. Florence Muranga and PACEID Markets Director Brenda Katarikawe Opus in the background
The Buyers Week targets 100 Ugandan suppliers, 20+ international buyers, and 50+ export-ready products, with an expected value of USD 1 billion in trade and investment contracts.
Ahead of the event, PACEID Chairman Odrek Rwabwogo emphasized the importance of connecting Uganda’s exporters directly to international demand:
- We treat Uganda as a company, and every company must have a strong sales and marketing department. Our approach is to position Uganda’s exporters as professional and competitive players in the global market.
- Demonstrate “what a country can do when demand increases,” with a goal of generating USD 1 billion in export contracts.
- Address non-tariff barriers within the region and beyond, which continue to limit the flow of goods despite growing demand.
In her remarks, Prof. Rev. Florence Muranga, Director General of the Presidential Initiative on Banana Industrial Development (PIBID), applauded PACEID for creating platforms that enable local exporters to access new markets and diversify Uganda’s export base. She also thanked H.E. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for supporting non-traditional initiatives that expand the country’s trade potential.
The Buyers Week is part of the broader Uganda Connect model, driven by PACEID, which aims to promote Uganda’s exports, attract foreign investment, and build long-term market confidence through consistent engagement, traceability systems, and branding excellence.
The event will feature exhibitions, matchmaking sessions, and product showcases from Uganda’s top export-ready brands, with support from several corporate sponsors including Afri Shamba Ventures, Great Lakes Coffee, Kikobero Coffee, Ug Exim, Pure Grow Africa, The Edge Trading, Funzo Coffee, Arise Kollections, AGRA, Endiro Coffee, Intracom Fertilizers smc Ug Ltd, Bunga Leisure Gardens, and Housing Finance Bank.