Geneva, Switzerland – February 22, 2025 – Uganda’s Secretary to the Treasury, Mr. Ramathan Ggoobi, met with the Deputy Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Ambassador Zhang Xiangchen, to discuss trade development and economic growth strategies.
During the meeting at the WTO Headquarters, Mr. Ggoobi expressed gratitude for the WTO’s ongoing support and emphasized the critical role trade plays in Uganda’s economic development.
He outlined Uganda’s 10-fold growth strategy, which focuses on agro-processing, tourism, mineral resource development, science and technology transfer, and creative industries.
Mr. Ggoobi highlighted Uganda’s interest in deeper regional economic integration and greater market access, particularly within Africa. He noted that while Uganda enjoys a favorable trade balance in the region, non-tariff barriers continue to pose challenges.
The discussion also covered Uganda’s green transition and the potential of digital trade to drive economic progress. Both parties acknowledged the need to address digital infrastructure gaps, such as limited internet access and high costs in rural areas.
Ambassador Zhang commended Uganda’s commitment to digital transformation and its ambitious growth strategy, emphasizing e-commerce and digital trade as key drivers of economic expansion.
With Uganda’s youthful population, Zhang pointed to the country’s potential in the creative economy, citing China’s success in integrating digitalization and artificial intelligence across key sectors like agriculture.
He reaffirmed the WTO’s readiness to collaborate with Uganda in building a robust IT ecosystem to harness digital trade opportunities.
The meeting marks another step in Uganda’s push for sustainable trade-driven growth, with WTO’s support playing a crucial role in the country’s development goals.