Kadaga upbeat as Uganda prepares to host 14th East African procurement, business Expo

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | First Deputy Prime Minister Rebeca Alitwala Kadaga has re-emphasised that East African countries must work together to achieve development for all.

Kadaga,  who is also Minister for East African Community Affairs, has pledged continuous commitment to support initiatives that promote regional integration and economic development.

She was speaking at the East African Business Expo and Procurement Forum East African Business Expo corporate breakfast on February 28 at the Mystil Hotel. The event has set the stage for preparations for Uganda to host east African colleagues later this month.

”I am excited to be a part of this event, which supports our ministry’s mandate to promote regional integration and cooperation. By coming together all the EAC states, this forum and business expo is demonstrating the commitment to working together to build a stronger, more prosperous East Africa,” Kadaga said.

Uganda is set to host the 14th Annual East African Procurement Forum (EAPF) and East African Business Expo in March 2023. This event, which has been held annually since 2008, brings together procurement regulatory bodies from the East African Community (EAC). It also attracts senior procurement, purchasing, sourcing, and supply chain executives from the public sector, private sector, professional organizations, development partners, and civil society to share knowledge and consolidate efforts towards improving public procurement practices in the region.

Under the theme “Open Contracting as a Vehicle for Sustainable Development,” the four-day event will take place between 23rd and 26th March 2023 at Kololo Grounds.

For the first time ever, the East African Procurement forum will include the East African Business Expo which will attract procurement professionals and key industry suppliers from the 7 East African countries to share knowledge, best practice, network as well as avail opportunities for suppliers to showcase their products, goods and services.

The forum will be hosted by The Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) who will welcome partner procurement regulatory bodies including The Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) of Kenya, The Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) of Tanzania, the Rwanda Public Procurement Authority, Agence de Regulation des Marches Public (ARMP) of Burundi, Agence de Regulation des Marches Public (ARMP) of DRC, and the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Southern Sudan. Together, these regulatory bodies oversee over 200,000 suppliers with a combined procurement market size estimated at over $100 billion USD annually.

Kadaga maintained that the event is especially significant since it will bring together regional business leaders, entrepreneurs, and legislators to exchange ideas, forge connections, and discover new possibilities for growth and development.

She emphasized certain data regarding the value of regional trade for the people of East Africa. “The intra-EAC trade, accounting for imports and exports in the 7 EAC Partner States continues to grow due to political goodwill among the member states and stands at just over $10.17 billion by September 2022, representing a 20% share of Intra-trade to global trade. It is important to note that Uganda exports over $4 Billion to members of EA which accounts for slight of 50% making the EAC partner states our largest trading partners”.

The executive director of PPDA, Benson Turamye also said the event will mostly involve businesses exhibiting products that they can offer the market.

“People will exhibit products during the forum. Those who manufacture products like clothes, agricultural produce, tractors and road equipment among others. This will help Government know what different businesses have to offer,” he said.

The East African Procurement Forum (EAPF) is an annual event that brings together the heads of public procurement regulatory bodies from East African Community (EAC) member states and other participants.

The forum and the East African Business Expo, organized by Fathil International Projects (FIPRO), are an opportunity to share experiences and challenges with the goal of improving country procurement systems while maintaining member states’ desire to harmonise the systems toward a political federation.

The Chief Executive Office FIPRO, Moses Agaba, said the event is important to Uganda and the region because local businesses get the opportunity for exposure. The local businesses get the opportunity of networking, collaboration and also be able to showcase the products they have to offer to the regional East African market.