Uganda-Qatar Diaspora Convention: Bridging the Gap for National Development
By The Public Lens
The Uganda-Qatar Diaspora Convention 2024 is set to kick off on November 21st at the La Cigale Hotel in Doha, Qatar, bringing together over 300 participants, including high-profile Ugandan and Qatari officials.
According to Deputy Head of Mission Ambassador Hajji Mohammed Beswari Kezaala, the convention aims to address the aspirations and challenges of Ugandans in diaspora, emphasizing the need for unity and discarding division and sectarianism.
“…this can only be achieved by ensuring unity and discarding the division and sectarianism currently affecting the diaspora. Otherwise, Uganda needs a united diaspora for progress…,” an authoritative source stressed.
Uganda has one of the largest diaspora communities globally, but its citizens remain divided along ethnic, tribal, regional, and political lines.
The convention seeks to provide an inclusive and neutral platform for Ugandans in diaspora to engage with relevant institutions back home and participate in trade between Uganda and host countries.
Experts will mobilize and sensitize diaspora communities on policies and how to work with institutions back home to address diaspora challenges.
High-profile speakers, including Gender, Labour, and Social Development Minister Hon Betty Amongi and Head of Mission Amb Stephen Chebrot, will address participants alongside Qatari Labour and Interior Ministers.
The convention will also feature plans to establish a business hub to facilitate Ugandans engaged in small-scale businesses.
This hub will provide a vibrant ecosystem for companies, entrepreneurs, investors, and other key players to collaborate, innovate, and share knowledge.
Uganda’s main exports to Qatar include agricultural products like avocado, bran, and wheat products, sweet potatoes, and Nile Perch.
Notably, Uganda’s sweet potatoes are highly preferred in Qatar, and the country is the leading exporter of avocado to Qatar, controlling 35% of the market share.
In terms of tourism, the embassy is working to increase tourist visits from Qatar to Uganda. Currently, Uganda exports goods worth 9MUSD annually to Qatar, while Qatar exports 12.5MUSD annually to Uganda.
Most Ugandans in Qatar are employed by Qatar Airways, with others working as security guards, cleaners, waiters, and teachers.
The government of Uganda is working towards increasing externalization of professional and skilled labor to Qatar.
This effort aligns with the National Diaspora Policy, which aims to promote regional cooperation and integration for peace, security, and prosperity.
By leveraging the skills, resources, and shared cultural contexts of the diaspora, Uganda can foster collective resilience and achieve mutual exchange and reciprocal benefits.
