Japanese Foreign Minister, Yoshimasa Hayashi arrived in Uganda on Wednesday.
He was received at Entebbe International Airport by his Ugandan counterpart, Gen. (rtd.) Jeje Odongo.
Japan and Uganda have, over the years, promoted and enjoyed a close, friendly relationship.
In a statement, Hayashi said, “I’m visiting Uganda today (August 2) for the first time as a Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs. I have long looked forward to visiting this beautiful country, often known as the “Pearl of Africa,” and it is my great pleasure to visit Uganda this time.”
Last year in August, during the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), Japan expressed its firm aspiration to cooperate with Africa as a partner to realise the resilience that Africa itself aims to achieve.
Since then, the Government of Japan has been implementing various projects and programmes for food security, infrastructure, and human resource development, among others.
According to reports, there are a lot of young Japanese people working with dedication as Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers and NGO volunteers all over Uganda at the grassroots level in various fields of cooperation to help develop the local communities.
It says, in the area of business, there is a growing interest in Uganda among Japanese companies as a new and promising investment destination.
A number of Japanese firms have visited Uganda to explore possibilities in various sectors, including oil, agriculture, and tourism.
President Yoweri Museveni has been commending Japan for its support and establishment of a public-private business partnership in Uganda.
“I am ready for the investment treaty with Japan, as business and prosperity are all about markets. When one produces goods or services and another partner consumes them, that means the two support each other,” he said in April 2018.
He has also been urging Japan to prioritise areas of exploration for Uganda’s iron ore deposits, phosphates, and fertiliser manufacturing.
Many Untapped Resources
Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja stated that although bilateral relations between Uganda and Japan remain strong, the private sector needs to become active in order to capitalise on the cordial relationship between the two sister nations in her speech at Uganda’s first-ever Japan-Uganda Business Forum in Tokyo, Japan, in December 2022.
“Although our governments have friendly relations with Japan, the private sector in both nations has not benefited from trade and investment. For instance, she claimed that Uganda has a wealth of untapped resources, including iron which is 75% pure, and numerous minerals.
Nabbanja took advantage of the occasion to extend an invitation to Japanese businesses to visit Uganda and take advantage of the numerous opportunities there, particularly in the areas of mining, agriculture, and industrialisation.
She promised to provide complete support for any Japanese investors who visit Uganda and assured them of government incentives.
“As a government, we will make sure that all the issues plaguing failing investors are resolved and that anyone attempting to sabotage this admirable cause is dealt with,” Nabbanja said.
She said that some investors have been frustrated by middlemen who keep tossing them around and end up not investing in the country without the knowledge of the Government.