By
Denis Kasule Ssebunya
A Ugandan delegation, led by General Wilson Mbasu Mbadi, Minister of State for Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives, is in Serbia to attend the Joint Commission for Trade Cooperation session, scheduled for Friday, October 25, 2024, in Nis. The mission aims to reactivate the trade agreement signed in 1963 between Uganda and the former Yugoslavia and to implement further agreements made by President Yoweri Museveni and Serbian President Aleksander Vucic in July of the previous year, including the Bilateral Air Services Agreement.
The Joint Commission is founded on the trade agreement signed between the Government of the Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia and Uganda in Entebbe in September 1963. Serbia, as Yugoslavia’s successor, continues to honor this agreement, offering preferential tax treatment for Ugandan products.
The delegation consists of representatives from various Ugandan ministries and organizations, including the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Works and Transport, Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, State House Diaspora Affairs Unit, Uganda Exim Limited, Uganda Civil Aviation Authority, and Uganda Airlines.
Upon their arrival, the delegation was welcomed by Uganda’s Trade Representative in Serbia, Bratislav Stoiljkovic, and later visited the Uganda Connect Hub in Belgrade, which promotes and sells Ugandan products. They also toured the Museum of Yugoslavia, gaining insights into Serbia’s cultural heritage and history.
On Wednesday evening, the delegation attended a dinner at the Uganda Connect Hub in Belgrade, hosted by Stoiljkovic and his team. This hub was launched last year by President Museveni to promote Ugandan products in the region.
Strengthening Trade Relations
General Mbadi acknowledged the hospitality of the Serbian people, stating, “Serbian people are hospitable and welcoming, just like Ugandans. Helping us sell what we have here is helping us achieve economic independence back home. I am happy that we have people helping us strengthen the economic instrument of power.”
Odrek Rwabwogo, Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development (PACEID), emphasized the importance of reviving the 1963 trade treaty. He remarked, “I am pleased that the work we have put in over the past two years is starting to bear fruit. One of the reasons I fell in love with Serbia is because of the shared values between the two countries.”
Dr. Paul Mwambu, Commissioner of Crop Inspection at the Ministry of Agriculture, explained Serbia’s strategic importance as a gateway to European markets. He said, “We are here in Belgrade, Serbia, to learn the fine details of the market requirements so that we can work with value chain actors in Uganda to ensure that what we produce meets the standards of the markets in Belgrade and the entire Balkans. Our products, like coffee, fruits, and vegetables, have been doing very well since we opened the Uganda Connect Hub in Belgrade last year.”
Future Plans and Trade Expansion
Cleopas Ndorere, Commissioner for External Trade, highlighted the historical trade agreement’s relevance, stating, “Way back in 1963, we signed a trade agreement with the then Yugoslavia, which has since become Serbia. A lot has changed since then, including Uganda joining the World Trade Organization and other trade arrangements. We will be reviewing this trade agreement to ensure its continued relevance to Uganda’s current trade situation. We are pleased with what we have seen so far and look forward to increasing our export volumes.”
He also mentioned plans to establish a free zone hub at Entebbe, where Ugandan coffee will be processed on a larger scale for export to Serbia. “Serbia is strategically positioned between western and oriental Europe, making it a key hub for distributing goods to the rest of Europe and surrounding regions,” Ndorere added.
Collaborations and Bilateral Engagements
The dinner was also attended by Hon. Aleksander Adamovic, Serbia’s Deputy Minister for Standards and Quality, and Uganda’s Honorary Consul to Greece, Ms. Villy Alexandrakis. Their presence underscored the importance of strengthening bilateral trade ties and exploring further cooperation between the two nations.
The Ugandan delegation’s visit is seen as a significant step towards enhancing trade relations between Uganda and Serbia, reinforcing economic ties that date back more than six decades.
