Export body marks 10 years

By Alex Balimwikungu
Ten years ago, the Uganda Export Promotion Board (UEPB) came into existence by parliamentary statute as a public trade promotion organisation.

With a vision to brand Uganda on the world market as a supplier of reliable and quality products and a mission to facilitate the development, diversification, promotion and coordination of all export related activities; UEPB’s 10 year journey has been one laden with achievements.

Florence Kata the executive director, UEPB says that the board scored on a number of fronts; especially in the areas of market research and product development, export human resource development, trade fairs and exhibitions, product diversification, awareness and advocacy on export issues, leveraging the cyberspace for market information and market recognition.

Farmers load fresh aloe vera leaves for export

She mentions says the board has been able to develop market studies that have been a useful source of information for exporters.

They have also developed sector strategies for different products. These strategies are now a guideline for interventions into these sectors and some have attracted external support.

These strategies include; the apiculture sector strategy, handicrafts sector strategy, the service exports strategy and the natural ingredients strategy.

Since 1996, the board has conducted over 60 training events that target small and medium scale exporters to try and equip them with practical export skills. As a result, the (SME) exporters have since learnt product profiling for export markers, converted from importers to exporters and learnt using ICT tools for market research.

Kata says UEPB has also led more than 5,000 exporters into international trade fairs and events, the notable ones being the Expo 2000 in Hanover, Aichi 2005 in Japan and Sial Ethnic Foods Fair in France, where several companies have been able to establish business undertakings as a result of participating in the international fairs.

“Several inward and outward missions to promote business to business have also been done. These missions have resulted into an inflow of resources to support the export sector,” Kata says further.

She points out that product diversification has continued to be their important mission from the mid 90’s to date. As a result, fish, horticulture and floriculture have all entered the export basket as a result of these efforts.

UEPB has achieved substantial recognition from both the local and international community. The institution now enjoys the close cooperation from key international organisations that support international trade like UNCTAD, WTO and COMSEC.