In a meeting with German lawmakers together with a cross section of Uganda members of Parliament, Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa stressed the need to improve Uganda's coffee industry. He pointed out that Africa earns much less from coffee exports compared to other regions, with Uganda receiving only a fraction of the global coffee earnings.
Tayebwa also talked about Uganda's tourism potential, inviting more German tourists to visit the country. He mentioned Uganda's beautiful landscapes and the opportunity to see mountain gorillas, which could attract more visitors from Germany.
The Deputy Speaker was pleased with the growth in Uganda's exports to Germany over the years. He thanked Germany for its support in various areas such as preserving culture and hosting refugees.
Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa reported,
"Germany has various agencies operating in Uganda, which are helping our communities in the field of economic and social development." He added, "However, I singled out the role played by GIZ in technical support and innovation, which has enabled scientific development in our country through their technical cooperation in various government ministries and universities."
Tayebwa also expressed appreciation for the support provided in the form of scholarships, stating,
"We thank the German Government for the cooperation with various universities."
He further invited Germany to support Uganda through the Ministry of Education on the dual education system, noting,
"Germany has the best dual education system in the world and this will go a long way in skilling our population and providing the much-needed employment in the country."
Another lawmaker, Lawrence Songa, representing Ora County Constituency expressed the importance of manufacturing solar panels in Uganda. He explained that this could create jobs and help reduce emissions from transporting panels from Germany to Uganda.
Dicksons Kateshumbwa, the member of Parliament Sheena Municipality emphasized the need to support Uganda's small businesses. He said that Uganda could learn from Germany's successful small business sector and called for better access to funding for Ugandan small businesses.
Kordula Schulz-Asche, the head of German delegation acknowledged the importance of small businesses in Germany's economy. She expressed interest in working with Uganda to support its small businesses and explore other areas of collaboration.
"East African Friendship Parliamentary group heralds a significant stride towards fostering economic collaboration between Uganda and Germany" said, Kordula
German investment in Uganda's coffee sector, coupled with the urgent call to address the glaring disparities in global trade, underscores the pressing need for actionable solutions to unlock Uganda's economic potential.
