Ugandan Ambassador’s first official visit to Lublin

On 20 November 2024, we had the honour of hosting His Excellency Stephen Mubiru, Ambassador of the Republic of Uganda, and Ms Jessica Namuddu, Second Secretary at the Embassy of Uganda, during their first official visit to Lublin. The meeting aimed to discuss opportunities for cooperation between Poland and Uganda and was attended by our team from the Strategy and Investor Relations Department, represented by: Dr Mariusz Sagan, Marcin Garbowski, and Michał Furmanek.

Lublin was also represented by members of the academic and business communities: Dr Tomasz Wołowiec, Professor at WSEI Academy – Vice-Rector for Science and International Cooperation, and Marcin Solan – Director of the English Studies Office.

The meeting began with a presentation in which Ambassador Mubiru outlined Uganda’s investment potential and key directions for economic development. The Ambassador emphasised the country’s strongest economic sectors – agriculture and the mining industry – with key export products such as coffee, avocados, bauxite, and iron ore. He also highlighted the country’s natural resources and its unique, still untapped tourism potential.

The presentation was followed by a discussion and talks on possible areas for cooperation, including the development of trade, academic, and cultural exchanges between our countries. The Ugandan delegation was particularly interested in the educational opportunities offered by Lublin’s universities for students, as well as the support from the city for the visa process and residence legalisation. The academic representatives present confirmed their readiness to cooperate and encouraged the use of available international exchange programmes. Lublin’s entrepreneurs, in turn, expressed interest in opportunities for importing natural resources in which Uganda specialises.

During his 3-day visit, Ambassador Mubiru also visited the City Hall, where he met with the Mayor of Lublin, Krzysztof Żuk, and Artur Szymczyk, President of the Municipal Water and Sewage Company in Lublin. Discussions focused on common challenges related to ensuring access to clean water and the exchange of experiences in water supply technologies. The Ambassador expressed interest in collaborating on technological solutions that could help Uganda improve its water and sanitation infrastructure. There was also talk of knowledge exchange between Uganda and Poland in this area. Prospects for the development of the tourism sector and academic cooperation were also discussed.

The visit ended with a meeting at UMCS, where the Ambassador delivered a lecture on the role of the Global South in the changing world, as part of the Diplomatic Talks series.

We sincerely thank the Ambassador, his delegation, and all the participants for the fruitful meetings and inspiring discussions. We look forward to further cooperation, which will contribute to strengthening our economic relations!