Published on 13/11/2023
United Arab Emirates, Nov 12 President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni arrived in Abu Dhabi, at the invitation of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the United Arab Emirates and the ruler of Abu Dhabi.
Receiving the president at the airport was Sheikh Shakhboot Nahyan Al Nahyan, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The two leaders are expected to hold bilateral talks today Monday .
Museveni last year was in Abu Dhabi for the 2020 Dubai trade Expo where he later met and bilateral discussions with the leaders of Dubai, Abudhabi and Sharja.
During that visit, he asked Ugandan officials to exploit the expo to sell Ugandan products abroad
The president singled out sim sim whose total market size in UAE is $839 million and yet the country’s exports to UAE are negligible.
He also cited dairy milk whose market size is $ 2.846 billion but Uganda’s exports are only $ 374million and bananas whose market size is US$664million but Uganda has never attempted that market.
“The people of northern Uganda grow sim sim. This is a new chance. It is good that you know how much your country is losing. Repentence is provided for in Christian religion, if you repent chance for you to go to heaven. That market is easy for us, its near, only five hours away,” he said.
Other products include mangoes, pineapples, mung beans, cocoa, tilapia, tea, coffee and vegetables among others.
Museveni is again expected to try to get market for Uganda products.