Babalanda Urges Ugandans Abroad to Invest at Home and Promote Country’s Image

What the report says

Uganda’s Minister for the Presidency, Milly Babirye Babalanda, has called on Ugandans living in Australia and the wider Australasian region to invest in their home country, share professional expertise and help strengthen Uganda’s image abroad. The remarks were delivered in Melbourne on Saturday, October 17, during the UG@64 Australasian Independence Gala, Business and Cultural Convention, a three-day gathering marking Uganda’s 64th Independence Anniversary.

According to Nile Post, Babalanda said diaspora communities should see themselves as partners in national development rather than only supporters from afar. She encouraged them to form business links, support technology transfer, connect local entrepreneurs to overseas markets and provide credible information to potential investors interested in Uganda. She also urged them to promote the country’s tourism, culture and investment opportunities while remaining honest about its challenges.

Babalanda said Uganda is entering a new phase of economic transformation under the Fourth National Development Plan and Vision 2040. She referenced the government’s Tenfold Growth Strategy, which targets expansion in sectors such as agriculture, tourism, minerals, oil and gas, manufacturing, and science and technology. She also welcomed Ugandans abroad who may want to return home to start businesses, raise families, share skills or retire.

The minister further praised Ugandans in Australasia for preserving their heritage and said diaspora involvement in youth programmes, internships, scholarships and mentorship could help turn political independence into economic progress. The convention also included the UPAVA Awards, which recognised community leadership, enterprise and cultural preservation among Ugandans in the region.