In Q2 FY2024/25, Uganda recorded a trade deficit of $162.5 million within the East African Community (EAC), with exports totalling $631 million and imports reaching $793.5 million. This marks a significant deterioration from the previous quarter when the deficit stood at $134.5 million.

Uganda’s largest trade deficit was with Tanzania, where exports totalled $54.3 million, while imports were significantly higher at $551.3 million (mainly composed of gold), resulting in a trade deficit of $497.0 million.

Uganda received 39 of Uganda’s Cultural heritage artefacts that had for over 100 years been kept in the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology at Cambridge University, United Kingdom.

In a conference held in December 2024 in Kampala, the African Union’s Continental Operational Centre (COC) made headway in combating trafficking in persons (TiP) and smuggling of migrants (SOM). The workshop validated the continental guidelines for sharing information and intelligence hence, providing a structured framework for cooperation among Member States, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and law enforcement agencies.

The 2024 Census reaffirmed that agriculture remains the primary source of income and sustenance for most Ugandans. Approximately 61% of households are engaged in crop production, while 37% are involved in livestock farming. Subsistence farming accounts for 53% of agricultural activities, whereas 17% of households engage in commercial agriculture.

Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development unveiled an e-land information portal to increase the ministry’s efficiency and enhance public access to land information. At Ugshs10,000/-, a user will only require a smartphone and internet connection to access land information from anywhere at any time.

In collaboration with consortium IGNFI – IGN and support from World Bank, the Ministry was able to design and install the NLIS infrastructure.

The portal will enable:

The Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives inaugurated the first board of the Uganda Free Zones and Export Promotion Authority (UFZEPA). The board is responsible for overseeing the operationalization of the Free Zones Scheme, ensuring compliance with international trade standards, attracting investments for export promotion, and enhancing the global competitiveness of Ugandan products.

The first tin smelting facility in Uganda owned by Woodcross Resources, a locally based company, marked a significant milestone in the country’s journey towards industrialisation and value addition in the Mineral sector. The facility has a production capacity of 1,000 tonnes of tin ingots annually and is capable of producing tin with a purity of 99.95%, a standard that meets demands of both local and international markets.

Lake Victoria Logistics (LVL) located in Bukasa-Bwerenga, Kawuku was officially launched in July 2024 by H.E the President of the Republic of Uganda. It was funded by three stakeholders; Marathi Infra Services, Digimon Group, and Africa Finance Corporation.

The facility has 14 tanks with a collective capacity of 70 million litres. It has 256-meter-long jetty which facilitates the berthing of vessels, enabling effective cargo handling. The project also includes a two tanker ships each with cargo capacity of 4.5 million litres.

Lake Victoria Logistics (LVL) located in Bukasa-Bwerenga, Kawuku was officially launched in July 2024 by H.E the President of the Republic of Uganda. It was funded by three stakeholders; Marathi Infra Services, Digimon Group, and Africa Finance Corporation.

The facility has 14 tanks with a collective capacity of 70 million litres. It has 256-meter-long jetty which facilitates the berthing of vessels, enabling effective cargo handling. The project also includes a two tanker ships each with cargo capacity of 4.5 million litres.

Uganda launched its Digital Transformation Roadmap in April 2023 as an implementation tool aimed to speed up the country’s digital revolution. The roadmap that spans a period of five years (FY2023/24-2027/28) spells out key enablers aimed at actualizing aspirations embedded in the Digital Uganda Vision. These include attaining 90% household connectivity; 90% broadband coverage by geography; and 90% citizens accessing e-services online, among others by 2040.