NEWS- The Minister of Trade and Industry, Hon Francis Mwebesa, has reiterated the government’s commitment to strengthening Uganda’s manufacturing sector, calling for greater collaboration between policymakers, investors and industry players to unlock the sector’s full potential.
Minister Mwebesa highlighted the pivotal role of industrialization in driving economic growth and achieving the ambitious goals set out in the National Development Plan IV.
The Minister also highlighted the remarkable expansion of Uganda’s manufacturing sector over the years, from just 80 industries in 1986, to more than 9,000 industries, contributing significantly to the country’s economy.
Minister Mwebesa was speaking during a high-level budget dialogue organized by the Uganda Manufacturers Association where he noted that despite these achievements, the industrial sector is operating at only 53% of its installed capacity, signaling immense untapped potential and emphasized the need for concerted efforts to boost production, enhance value addition and drive economic transformation.
The dialogue was organized under the theme:” Full Monetization of Uganda’s Economy through Commercial Agriculture, Expanding and Broadening Services, Digital Transformation, and Market Access,” and it precedes the budget reading in June, allowing stakeholders to discuss, debate and contribute to the budget process.
