President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has called on the European Union (EU) to support Africa’s industrialisation by investing in local processing of raw materials, arguing that exporting finished products would create jobs and generate greater economic benefits for African countries.
Museveni made the appeal on October 15, 2026, while hosting and co-chairing the first Uganda-EU Partnership Dialogue at State House, Entebbe. The meeting coincided with 50 years of cooperation between Uganda and the EU.
The dialogue brought together senior government officials and European diplomats to discuss trade, climate action, development cooperation, governance, human rights, security and regional and global affairs.
Museveni identified value addition, poverty eradication, irrigation, environmental conservation and affordable electricity as key areas for deeper cooperation.
“Europe should really help Africa process its raw materials. Your companies should be encouraged and facilitated to work with African countries so they export refined products and create more jobs. We must all process fully so that we all become partners and not victims of cooperation,” he said.
The President argued that Africa continues to lose income and employment opportunities by exporting raw materials instead of processing them locally.
Using coffee as an example, Museveni said a kilogramme of unprocessed coffee beans could fetch about $2, compared with approximately $40 when processed.
He put the global coffee business at about $460 billion, saying coffee-producing countries collectively earn roughly $25 billion. He contrasted this with Germany, which does not grow coffee but, according to him, earns about $65 billion from the coffee business.
Museveni blamed African leaders for failing to maximise the value of the continent’s natural resources.
“This is really the fault of the African leaders who have betrayed their people. They give away African resources daily instead of maximising what God gave us, especially by selling unprocessed raw materials. This is criminal,” he said.
He defended Uganda’s policy of discouraging exports of unprocessed raw materials, saying the country needed to retain a greater share of the value generated from its products.
Museveni links value addition to expanded trade
Museveni argued that greater prosperity across Africa would create stronger markets for European goods and services, challenging the idea that trade with poorer countries offers greater benefits.
He estimated Africa’s combined gross domestic product at $3.8 trillion, compared with about $32 trillion for the United States and more than $20 trillion for China.
“I reject this idea of partial wealth. It is satanic, bankrupt and self-defeating. Why would you be blind and fail to see that your neighbour’s prosperity is your own interest? How can they say trading with poor people is better than trading with rich people?” he asked.
The President said Uganda’s exports to Europe, which he valued at €1.8 billion, could increase substantially if more products were processed before leaving the country.
“In my view, the €1.8 billion exports to Europe, we should be talking of tens of billions, if not hundreds. That is still suppressed demand because if we were adding value here, we would earn much more than this,” he said.
He added that higher export earnings would give Uganda greater purchasing power to import European products, including medical equipment and machine tools.
Museveni also proposed that the EU consider becoming an associate member of the African Union, citing the historical relationship and geographical proximity between Africa and Europe.
“The historical relationship between Africa and Europe can be better used. I have suggested that the European Union could become associate members of the African Union because of proximity,” he said.
EU urged to support agriculture and poverty eradication
The President asked the EU to support Uganda’s Parish Development Model (PDM), which seeks to move households from subsistence production into the money economy.
“You help me support the PDM so that we convert at least seven million of the households out of poverty. Support the Ugandans to create jobs; that will be an easier entry point,” he said.
He also called for increased investment in irrigation to reduce the agricultural sector’s dependence on rainfall.
Museveni said the recent delay in the onset of rains had highlighted the need for more reliable water systems to stabilise agricultural production.
“God has woken up a bit of Ugandans by causing drought. The rain delayed for two months, and I thanked God that He is doing it deliberately to wake them up. We want to launch massive irrigation to stabilise agriculture,” he said.
On environmental conservation, Museveni urged the EU to support efforts to protect wetlands and forests from encroachment and unsuitable farming practices.
He proposed fish farming around wetlands and expanded irrigation as alternatives to cultivation in protected areas. He also requested support to acquire earth-moving equipment for constructing valley dams and improving water conservation.
On energy, he called for private investment backed by patient capital to ensure industries have access to affordable electricity.
“We need either the private sector with patient capital because we don’t want to have expensive electricity. We are ensuring that for manufacturing it should be five cents,” he said.
Museveni calls for respect for Uganda’s sovereignty
The President said Uganda welcomed engagement with the EU but expected its sovereignty and domestic decision-making processes to be respected.
“Once you don’t interfere with our political issues and social issues, leave us; don’t interfere with us. Influence people, for example, do what you think is right, but don’t manipulate,” he said.
He said Uganda was willing to exchange views with European partners but opposed foreign funding intended to influence domestic political choices.
On social issues, Museveni reiterated the government’s position on homosexuality, saying Uganda did not support its promotion as an alternative way of life.
EU pledges continued partnership
The EU delegation was led by its Ambassador to Uganda, H.E. Jan Sadek, who co-chaired the dialogue.
Sadek said European support to Uganda over the past 50 years had amounted to approximately €20 billion.
“Uganda’s voice matters. We ought to work together. We want to be reliable and predictable, working together with Uganda. Fifty years gives us a lot to reflect on and see what to do next in our partnership,” he said.
The ambassador supported calls for greater local processing of Ugandan products, saying it would help the country retain more economic benefits. He cited Ugandan chocolate as a product with potential to attract European investment and enter European markets.
Sadek also announced €50 million in new support for conservation and tourism.
He thanked Uganda for its military contribution to African Union operations in Somalia and its wider role in regional security. He also commended the country’s response to Ebola and called for continued information sharing.
Trade and security cooperation
The meeting account put annual bilateral trade between Uganda and the EU at approximately €2.4 billion, describing the EU as Uganda’s largest trading partner outside Africa. Uganda was reported to have a trade surplus of about €1 billion.
The two sides agreed to establish structured discussions on improving the business environment and continue talks on Uganda’s access to the EU market, including through a possible Economic Partnership Agreement.
They also agreed to hold a dedicated security dialogue.
Other areas discussed included cooperation under the EU’s Global Gateway initiative, climate action, renewable energy and refugee support. Team Europe is contributing more than €520 million towards refugee-related interventions.
The EU acknowledged Uganda’s contribution to regional peace and security, particularly in Somalia, where it said it had provided almost €2.8 billion in support since 2007. It also encouraged Uganda to continue supporting stability in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia and South Sudan.
The discussions further covered Russia’s war against Ukraine, multilateral cooperation and international criminal justice institutions.
Uganda and the EU agreed to hold the Partnership Dialogue annually.
The EU delegation included ambassadors and heads of mission from Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden and Austria, alongside non-resident representatives from Czechia and Spain.
Uganda was represented by senior government officials, including Foreign Affairs Minister Hon. Adonia Ayebare, Defence and Veteran Affairs Minister Hon. Kiryowa Kiwanuka, Attorney General Dr Sam Mayanja, Agriculture Minister Hon. Frank Tumwebaze, Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Hon. Norbert Mao, Water and Environment Minister Hon. Kahinda Otafiire, Trade, Industry and Cooperatives Minister Hon. Sanjay Tanna, and State Minister for Finance, Planning and Economic Development Hon. Amos Lugoloobi.
