President Museveni implores Italian investors to partner with Uganda in value addition, industrialisation

What the report says

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has urged Italian investors to work with Uganda in areas such as agriculture, mineral processing, coffee value addition, electric vehicle manufacturing and technology transfer. According to Watchdog Uganda, he made the appeal on Saturday, November 7, 2026, while meeting a delegation of more than 80 Italian government officials, investors, business representatives and development partners at State House, Entebbe.

Museveni said Uganda wants partnerships that support local production, create jobs and keep more value in the country rather than exporting raw materials. He used coffee and minerals as examples, arguing that Uganda earns far less from unprocessed exports than it would from finished products made locally. He also said Uganda has lithium deposits and wants cooperation on battery manufacturing for electric vehicles. The president framed the opportunity as part of wider Africa-Europe trade, saying both sides could benefit from a growing African market and industrial expansion.

Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja also addressed the delegation, saying Uganda and Italy have deepened cooperation since her 2024 visit to Rimini. She pointed to ongoing work on coffee development, waste management, healthcare and agricultural mechanisation, and said Italy had reopened its development cooperation office in Uganda.

Nabbanja added that Italy has backed several initiatives, including funding for coffee production and processing, a coffee training centre at Kyambogo University, and a Green Cities programme. The report suggests the visit was meant to strengthen economic ties and attract investment tied to industrialisation and skills development.