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President Museveni has presided over the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Government of Uganda and the United Arab Emirates’ Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry at Speke Resort Munyonyo.
He was also happy to note that Uganda and the Gulf countries have strengthened relations that were not there in the past.
He added that there is a lot of potential for investment between Uganda and the Gulf countries, which should be explored.
The MOU was signed between the Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Works and Transport and Civil Aviation Authority, the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife, and Antiquities and the Uganda Wildlife Authority, and the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
In the Memorandum, the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry agreed to construct Kidepo International Airport near Kidepo National Park and construct tourist hotels within Kidepo National Park to boost the tourism sector and the economy of Uganda.
Abdallah Sultan Al Owais, the Chairman of the Chamber, told the President that the construction of the airport is set to start in August 2024, and he promised to deliver good work on time.
Kidepo International Airport will be Uganda’s second-biggest airport after Entebbe.
According to the Minister of Tourism, Wildlife, and Antiquities, Tom Butime, instead of international tourists arriving at Entebbe Airport and driving to Kidepo National Park, which is hundreds of miles away, they will land directly at Kidepo International Airport.
He said the tourists can then go to the national park, drive through Kitgum to Gulu, cross the Nile if they wish, and go to Murchison Falls National Park.
“The tourists will then drive on tarmac to Fort Portal, Kibaale, Semuliki, Rwenzori, Queen Elizabeth National Park, then to Mbarara to Lake Mburo National Park, and back to Kampala,” he added.
The move is seen as a great step in Uganda’s tourism industry, which was heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, which brought the sector to its knees due to total lockdowns by countries around the world.
According to the 2023 tourism industry performance report, international tourist arrivals reached 1.2 billion visitors in 2023, up 56.5 percent from 2022 (814,508).
Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the country’s international tourism recovered 82.6% of its pre-pandemic levels (-17.4% versus pre-pandemic year 2019).
This means that 82.6% of international tourists who visited Uganda in 2019 have returned.
To enhance the experience of foreign tourists in the country and attract more international visitors, the government has embarked on the rehabilitation of roads leading to Uganda’s tourist attractions, especially the national parks.
The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding was also witnessed by Maj. Gen. Kahinda Otafiire, the Minister of Internal Affairs, Gen. Katumba Wamala, the Minister of Works and Transport, Hon. Martin Mugarra Bahinduka, the State Minister for Tourism, Wildlife, and Antiquities, H.E. Abdalla Hassan Alshamsi, and the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Uganda.