The 31st Uganda International Trade Fair, hosted by Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA) marked an important milestone for Uganda’s manufacturing and industrial sectors. Held at the UMA Showgrounds in Kampala, the event ran under the theme “Sustainable industrialisation for inclusive growth, employment, and wealth creation.”

The international trade was officially opened by the Minister of Finance, Hon. Matia Kasaija, who made a strong national call to nurture start-ups and support homegrown innovations. Kasaija’s remarks aligned with UMA’s renewed strategy: moving beyond traditional factory displays to position the trade fair as a dynamic platform for SMEs, entrepreneurs, and skilling institutions.

In line with the Buy Uganda, Build Uganda (BUBU) policy, UMA also unveiled a Made-in-Uganda supermarket to showcase exclusively local products. The initiative aims to counter negative perceptions about Ugandan-made goods and strengthen direct engagement between producers and consumers. The initiative allowed innovators to receive instant feedback, raise consumer confidence, and build stronger commercial networks.

The UMA international trade fair also provided a platform for Enabel and partners to engage youth, employers, and businesses through three core thematic areas: the Work Readiness Programme, Business and Human Rights, and Decent Work and Social Protection.

Through the WeWork-green and decent jobs for youth project and the Decent Work and Social Protection Project, implemented in partnership with the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) and the Federation of Uganda Employers (FUE), Enabel is facilitating the transition of 1,800 young graduates into the labour market.

Key activities showcased at the fair included: soft skills and work readiness training, employer registration and profiling, jobseeker registration, and skills matching.

Under the Business and Human Rights thematic area, Enabel promoted responsible and ethical business conduct through daily awareness sessions with business owners and managers. Sessions included Key steps for companies to respect human rights, addressing emerging human rights concerns in Uganda, and the role of the private sector in eliminating child labour.

Enabel also used the platform to raise awareness on decent work best practices. This was under the decent work and social protection thematic area aimed at preventing and responding to gender-based violence (GBV) in workplaces, and strengthening employer systems for fair, safe, and inclusive employment.

Enabel and partners in honey, cocoa, coffee, and vanilla engaged in business-to-business (B2B) meetings with local and international buyers to form new partnerships. The engagements were crucial for promoting access to new markets, understanding certification requirements, and exploring fair-trade opportunities.

The 2025 Uganda International Trade Fair demonstrated how industry, government, and development partners work together. Enabel’s engagement through the Work Readiness Programme, Business and Human Rights, and the Decent Work and Social Protection projects ensures that Uganda’s industrial growth is matched with inclusive employment, ethical business conduct, and stronger labour protections.

By equipping young graduates with skills, guiding employers to respect human rights, and promoting safer workplaces across sectors, the fair was a catalyst for decent jobs, responsible business practices, and sustainable economic transformation.  

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