Uganda has urged its citizens living in Ethiopia to invest in the country, expand trade, transfer skills and strengthen partnerships with government and the private sector to accelerate national development.
The call was made during a two-day diaspora engagement forum held at the Hilton Addis Ababa under the theme “Connecting, Celebrating and Contributing: Harnessing the Ugandan Diaspora for National Development.”
The event brought together Ugandan professionals, students, entrepreneurs, researchers, families and staff of regional and international organisations to explore ways of contributing to Uganda’s economic transformation while strengthening ties between Kampala and Addis Ababa.
Uganda’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Rebecca Amuge Otengo, urged Ugandans abroad to maintain close connections with their home country and use their professional experience, business networks and resources to support development.
Speaking at a dinner hosted by the Ugandan Embassy, Otengo delivered President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s best wishes to the community and commended Ugandans for their role in strengthening the relationship between the two countries.
She said Ugandans living and working in Ethiopia were important ambassadors for their country through their conduct, professional achievements, businesses and everyday interactions.
Otengo encouraged them to respect Ethiopia’s laws and customs while maintaining integrity and making positive contributions to the communities in which they live.
“As we pursue opportunities abroad, let us never forget home. Our families, communities and country remain an important part of who we are,” she said.
The ambassador called on Ugandans to remain informed about developments back home, maintain contact with their families and explore opportunities to contribute to Uganda’s development whenever circumstances permit.
She said national transformation required collective effort, adding that Ugandans abroad could make meaningful contributions through investment, entrepreneurship, professional expertise, innovation and support for their families and communities.
“Let us turn our presence in Ethiopia into an opportunity to deepen Uganda–Ethiopia relations, promote shared prosperity and contribute to Uganda’s transformation,” Otengo said.
Government targets diaspora investment and skills transfer
Head of the Diaspora Services Department at Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Johnnie Muhindo, said the engagement reflected the government’s growing emphasis on mobilising Ugandans abroad to support economic development.
He said the diaspora could contribute through investment, trade, skills transfer and partnerships with both public and private sector institutions.
Muhindo noted that these efforts were aligned with Uganda’s economic and commercial diplomacy strategy, which prioritises the mobilisation of diaspora resources and expertise to advance the country’s socio-economic transformation.
He also revealed that the government was in the final stages of drafting a National Diaspora Policy, following consultations with Ugandan communities living in different parts of the world.
The proposed policy is expected to provide a framework for strengthening engagement between the government and Ugandans abroad, although further details on its implementation were not provided at the event.
The forum also provided an opportunity for participants to hear from government officials, business leaders and diaspora representatives about successful initiatives and practical ways of collaborating with institutions back home.
Ethiopia seeks stronger commercial ties with Uganda
Wondafrash Debere Tolera, who represented Zerihun Abebe, Director-General for African Affairs at Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, praised Ugandans living in Ethiopia for their conduct and development-oriented approach.
Tolera emphasised the importance of people-to-people relations in strengthening cooperation between the two countries.
He pointed to the growing Ethiopian community in Kampala, particularly in Muyenga, Kansanga and Buziga, areas that have acquired the informal nickname “Little Ethiopia”.
He said Ethiopia wanted the cordial reception extended to its citizens in Uganda to translate into stronger commercial and business relationships between the two countries.
The remarks highlighted the potential for deeper cross-border cooperation, with diaspora communities serving as links between businesses, investors and professional networks in both countries.
Ethiopia’s position as the headquarters of the African Union and a centre for regional and international organisations also offers Ugandans opportunities to build professional networks, exchange knowledge and explore business ventures across borders.
Ugandans receive national IDs, access social security services
Beyond discussions on investment and economic cooperation, the forum also connected Ugandans in Ethiopia with government services.
Participants who had registered for Uganda’s national identity cards in May 2026 received their new IDs during the event.
Representatives from the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) also attended the gathering, providing information on services and opportunities available to Ugandans living abroad.
On October 15, NIRA registration services and NSSF advisory services were scheduled to be available at the Uganda Embassy’s Chancery Building in the Gerji suburb of Bole, Addis Ababa.
The services were intended to improve access to essential government services for Ugandans who might otherwise face difficulties completing registration and accessing relevant information while living overseas.
The event also featured updates on policies supporting diaspora engagement, as well as frameworks for Ugandans seeking to return home or contribute remotely to national development initiatives.
Diaspora seen as a partner in Uganda’s economic transformation
Uganda’s engagement with its diaspora reflects the government’s push to harness the financial resources, professional expertise and international connections of citizens living abroad.
For Uganda, diaspora participation can provide opportunities to attract investment, expand export markets, support entrepreneurship and transfer technical knowledge acquired in other countries.
The two-day meeting in Addis Ababa sought to turn these opportunities into stronger collaboration between Ugandans abroad and institutions at home.
By bringing together citizens, government representatives and service providers, the forum also aimed to promote Uganda’s culture and investment potential while reinforcing the diaspora’s role in national development.
The government’s ongoing work on a National Diaspora Policy is expected to provide a broader framework for such engagement, as Uganda seeks to convert its citizens’ international experience and networks into opportunities for economic growth.
