Casablanca, Morocco | 30 September 2026
The Minister for the Presidency, Hon. Babirye Milly Babalanda, has called for increased investment, technology transfer and strategic partnerships to support Uganda’s industrialisation and value-addition agenda during her participation in Industrial Transformation Africa (ITAF) 2026 in Casablanca, Kingdom of Morocco.
In her address, the Minister conveyed greetings from H.E. the President of the Republic of Uganda, Gen. (Rtd.) Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, and the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Kataaha Museveni, to the organisers, participants and stakeholders attending the continental industrialisation forum.
The Minister noted that; Uganda is open to industrial investment and partnerships that can transform the country’s raw materials into higher-value products, expand local manufacturing, create employment and accelerate technology-driven economic transformation. She emphasised that Uganda’s development priorities require a deliberate shift from the export of largely unprocessed commodities towards value addition, manufacturing and the production of finished and semi-finished goods as per H.E the President’s aspiration. She further highlighted that; opportunities exist across agro-processing, coffee and agricultural value chains, pharmaceuticals, building materials, mineral beneficiation, oil and gas-related industries, machinery and equipment, renewable energy, energy-efficient technologies, ICT and digital services. The Minister encouraged investors and technology partners to explore opportunities to establish productive capacity and long-term partnerships in Uganda.
Addressing the role of technology in industrial transformation, Minister Babalanda highlighted Industry 4.0, digitalisation, automation, mechanisation and modern production technologies as important tools for improving productivity and competitiveness. She stressed that technology partnerships should go hand in hand with skills development and knowledge transfer, so that Ugandan workers and enterprises are able to operate, maintain and benefit from modern industrial systems. She further underscored the importance of mechanising agriculture and moving away from predominantly traditional farming methods, noting that increased productivity in agriculture can strengthen agro-processing, improve incomes and provide a stronger raw-material base for Uganda’s manufacturing sector.
The Minister also emphasised the importance of value addition in increasing the economic returns from Uganda’s resources. She noted that Uganda stands to benefit from earning more from processed and value-added products than from exporting raw materials. In this regard, she identified opportunities for cooperation in agriculture and agro-processing, including food processing, agricultural technologies, irrigation, storage, packaging and other components of agricultural value chains. She further highlighted ITAF as an important platform for Uganda to engage investors, technology providers and other African partners in identifying practical opportunities for industrial cooperation, technology transfer and access to wider regional and continental markets, subject to applicable trade arrangements and rules of origin.
Minister Babalanda noted that; Uganda’s young and growing population represents an important economic asset when supported with appropriate skills, employment opportunities and productive industries. She called on investors and partners to consider Uganda’s growing domestic market, strategic position in East Africa, agricultural and mineral resources, expanding industrial base and opportunities for value addition when considering investment and industrial partnerships.
The Minister concluded by reaffirming Uganda’s commitment to building a modern, productive and competitive economy through industrial transformation. She emphasised Uganda’s interest in attracting investment, technology, skills and manufacturing capacity that can support value addition, create employment and strengthen the country’s participation in regional and continental value chains. She further encouraged investors, technology providers and industrial partners to explore opportunities in Uganda and contribute to the country’s ongoing economic transformation.
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