The West Nile business symposium which is slated to take place on July 3, will unlock investment opportunities.
The symposium will focus on the major districts of; Zombo, Yumbe, Moyo, Arua, Maracha, Pakwach, Nebbi, Madi-Okollo, Obongi, Koboko, and Adjumani. A population of 3.2M people.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Prof. Gudula Naiga Basaza, Founder and Managing Director of Gudie Leisure Farm, said that the spotlight is aimed at enlightening the country about the investment opportunities in this part of the country, generating support for young entrepreneurs within and from across Uganda that are already investing in it, and celebrating its rich cultural heritage.
“The West Nile is home to numerous business opportunities that, if tapped and exploited to their full potential, can drive the development of the region. We have taken on the initiative as private sector actors of working for the government, local leaders, and especially the region’s enterprising youth to expose our people as well as foreign investors to these opportunities,” she said adding,
“We are being deliberate in creating investment promotion platforms through which the region’s leaders, youth, business community, and government can highlight the commercial opportunities the region offers and also promote its beautiful culture and people,”
The business symposium will take place on Monday, July 2023 at Gudie Leisure Farm in Najjeera – II, Wakiso.
“The region is a strategic trade route to the central and northern part of Africa hence its importance in Uganda’s economy. National and regional security and stability, she stressed, require that the region’s communities, especially youth, are deliberately meaningfully engaged in the country’s development and that they feel that they are equal beneficiaries of its wealth. “The West Nile is indispensable when it comes to the country’s and East African region’s development and security. We have got several business opportunities in agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, trade, and services worth exploiting and so welcome the country and investors to learn more about them at the upcoming event,” Prof Gudula said.
Speaking at the same presser, Mr. Tualib Onzima, Gudie Leisure Farm’s region leader of the organization’s Young Agripreneurs Champions Network said, that their region’s young entrepreneurs are eager to partner with investors and the government to exploit its resources for its communities’ and Uganda’s benefit!
“The youth are taking initiative: 192 youth in the region, that was incubated by Gudie Leisure Farm and are proactively taking on the responsibility of training other youth in market-relevant agribusiness skills so that they too become active supply chain actors in the agribusiness industry leading West Nile’s and Uganda’s transformation through agribusiness,” he said adding,
“These youth from 32 Parishes in the region have been able to incubate over 6400 youth. Together the youth have started forming 25 cottage industries in each Parish that have the capacity to employ 2500 Youth. The commitment of the youth is to incubate at least 100,000 youth across the white meat value chain by the year 2030. We are now also happily partnering with Gudie Leisure Farm to promote the region for investment and welcome the active participation of the private sector and would-be investors in July’s business and cultural events.”
