Former finance minister Maria Kiwanuka has urged African governments to make more investments in the agriculture sector and cut the exportation of raw materials.

Ms Kiwanuka was on Monday addressing a high-level panel at the 12^th African Economic Conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where delegates among others discussed how African governments can transform the agriculture sector.

“More investments in agriculture must be made. We have no excuse to continue exporting raw materials to other countries, yet we can develop our own capacities to industrialise and produce finished agricultural products,” Ms. Kiwanuka, who is now Senior Presidential Advisor on financial matters, said.

Organized by the African Development Bank, the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, the 2017 African Economic Conference is taking place December 4-6 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, under the theme ‘Governance for Structural Transformation’.

And during deliberations the delegates noted that with over 70 percent of Africans making a living through agriculture, it was imperative to develop better agricultural transformation and rural development strategies.

The high-level panel also reflected on the theories and practices for structural transformation in Africa, and assessed the leaders’ role in undermining good governance and development.

David Booth, the Principal Research Fellow, Politics and Governance Programme at the Overseas Development Institute, argued that although there is no textbook solution to development, leaders should have the courage to experiment with different approaches to development.

“So many development models have been employed across the world; some have failed and others have worked. Therefore, we now have a clue as to what can work and what cannot. To enhance targeted problem-solving efforts, African governments need to try out different things and learn from their own experiences,” he said.

Dr. Ibrahim Elbadawi, Managing Director of the Economic Research Forum, added that the youth in Africa are largely unemployed because their education background does not match job requirements in the private sector.

He urged governments in Africa to take youth unemployment as a serious matter, saying it was a disappointment that many African countries have failed to tackle youth unemployment through entrepreneurship programs.

“This focus on white collar jobs has to end if the continent is to realise an end to widespread youth unemployment. On top of readjusting the education curriculum, there is need to advance entrepreneurial skills ahead of a mentality that focuses on finishing school to look for jobs,” Dr. Elbadawi said.

The Mo Ibrahim Index 2017 states that although a third of the countries on the continent are driving overall improvement in governance, many fail to build on prior progress.

In 2010, the African Development Bank adopted the Good Governance Policy to support the continent’s governance reforms.

The policy seeks to strengthen good governance by providing the basis for defining guiding principles for delivering results and achieving impact, as well as enabling environment for private sector development, economic competitiveness, debt management and, public expenditure management among others.

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Uganda’s top paint manufacturing company, Sadolin Paints has lauded Architects for their contribution to development in the country and pledged continuous support to their umbrella body, the Uganda Society of Architects (USA).

Speaking at the Annual Dinner Gala, Deon Nieuwoudt, the commercial executive of AkzoNobel, the parent company of Sadolin Paints said that they were privileged to be associated with the USA prestigious event as Platinum Sponsor.

Recently, Sadolin Paints was awarded by USA for sponsoring the event that attracted architects from across the country to elect new leaders into office. The event was held at the Pearl of Africa Hotel, Kampala.

Niewoudt said Sadolin would continue to supply Ugandans with the global standard quality paint it has provided over the decades. He said AkzoNobel (Sadolin brand owner) is committed to the East African region.

Nieuwoudt, who also addressed the media on the sidelines of the Dinner Gala at Pearl of Africa Hotel, Kampala, said AkzoNobel has earmarked USD3 million (Shs10 billion) for the construction of the new paint manufacturing plant at Namanve Industrial Park.

The plant will have state of the art technology and will create jobs which Nieuwoudt said will further stimulate the Ugandan economy.

Nieuwoudt refuted on-going claims that Sadolin Paints had exited the Ugandan market, saying the company “still remains the number one paint maker in Uganda and was planning to capture the regional as well as the African market.”

Sadolin Paints re-launched on the Ugandan market in October and announced Crown Group, manufacturers of Regal Paints, as their new local partners.
Through a toll agreement and partnership, Crown Group oversees the Sadolin Paints sales and distribution network.

He said the Sadolin brand enforces high level of professionalism, quality and global best practices that further protect the environment. He said they employ values of safety, integrity and sustainability to protect the environment.

Sadolin was founded by Gunnar Sadolin in 1907and has been owned by AkzoNobel since 1987.

“It was never owned by the local licensee – Sadolin Paints East Africa; the licensee was purely manufacturing, selling and distributing the Sadolin brand on behalf of AkzoNobel, Nieuwoudt added.

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A team of sixty business executives from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is in the country to attend the UAE-Uganda Trade and Investment
Conference being held at the Sheraton Hotel.
President Yoweri Museveni, who recently visited the Middle East to woo investors that can help grow Uganda’s economy and provide jobs is expected to grace the event.

Key guests at the event that follows the recently-concluded EIM Bank Regional Conclave on India and East Africa that was also attended by Museveni are Abdullah Sultan Al Owais , Chairman, Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry Abdullah Mohammed Al Takawi , UAE Ambassador to Uganda, Ahmed Fahed Al-Menhali from –Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development and Mashary Al-Khyyat – Saudi Exports Development Authority.

Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA) Chairperson Barbara Mulwana and Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) Executive Director Jolly Kamuhangire are lined up, among other local officials, to address the participants at the one-day event.

Meanwhile, Daniel Birungi, the UMA Executive Director, has said the UAE delegates are in the country to seek business opportunities, investment partnerships and identify of distributors among others.

The delegation comprises officials from companies in sectors such as agriculture, automotive products, packaging, construction, industrial supplies, oil and gas, lubricants, electricals, medical equipment, energy, solar, pharmaceuticals, tours and travel real estate and telecommunications, and Mr. Birungi urged local companies to attend the event.

“Your participation in these B2B meetings with these delegates could result in a meaningful business partnership, identification of a better raw material supplier, a new product or new technology acquisition opportunity for your company,” Mr. Birungi said.

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