Mutasingwa: BRICS offers Uganda new opportunities in trade, investment and technology

What the report says

Ugandan officials used the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi to underline how the grouping could support the country’s economic ambitions, according to Nile Post. Minister of State in the Office of the Vice President Diana Nankunda Mutasingwa, who travelled with Vice President Maj. (Rtd) Jessica Alupo as part of the delegation representing President Yoweri Museveni, said Uganda should look to BRICS for broader opportunities in trade, investment, development finance and technology.

Mutasingwa said the BRICS New Development Bank could be a useful source of financing for infrastructure, including roads, railways, power, water, sanitation, ports and digital systems. She also pointed to sectors such as coffee, agriculture, manufacturing, energy, construction, logistics, minerals, healthcare and education as areas where Uganda could deepen partnerships with BRICS countries.

The minister also highlighted the technology side of BRICS cooperation, including fintech, digital payments, telecommunications, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, e-government and digital education. She said discussions on faster cross-border payments and greater use of local currencies could help reduce transaction costs and support trade.

Beyond the economic angle, Mutasingwa said BRICS gives African countries a stronger platform to call for more representation in global institutions such as the IMF and World Bank. She stressed that the real test will be whether Uganda and other African governments can turn summit engagements into concrete investments, trade agreements, projects and jobs.