The Uganda-Zimbabwe Trade and Business Forum, held at the Harare International Conference Centre (HICC), marked a key moment in the growing bilateral relationship between the two countries.
The forum, hosted by the Uganda High Commission in collaboration with Uganda Airlines, coincided with the celebration of the airline’s 5th anniversary and the launch of a direct flight from Harare to Entebbe. This direct route, operating four times a week, is the airline’s 16th route in five years, further expanding connectivity across Africa.
The launch of the Harare-Entebbe direct flight, alongside the business forum, is expected to bolster trade and investment opportunities between Zimbabwe and Uganda. It opens up new avenues for business, offering easier access for goods, services, and travelers, while strengthening economic ties. This direct flight also connects Zimbabwe to other African routes and international destinations, making it a strategic addition to both countries’ trade networks.
The forum, which provided a platform for small and medium-sized businesses to showcase their products and services, emphasized the importance of business connectivity, networking, and inclusive growth. It mirrored the objectives of the SADC Industrial Week (SIW), focusing on broad-based economic development. Zimbabwe’s ongoing efforts to attract investment and boost trade relations, particularly under the Second Republic, are showing positive results as the nation continues to pursue its goal of becoming an upper-middle-income economy by 2030.
Through its engagement and re-engagement policy, Zimbabwe has successfully strengthened bilateral relations with regional neighbors and international partners.
The Uganda-Zimbabwe Trade and Business Forum is a clear example of these efforts, highlighting growing economic cooperation, the potential for foreign investment, and improved trade relations between the two countries.