Uganda has urged its citizens living in Ethiopia to support national development through investment, trade, skills transfer and partnerships, as the government moves towards completing a National Diaspora Policy to strengthen engagement with Ugandans abroad.
The call was made during a two-day diaspora engagement forum held at the Hilton Addis Ababa in Ethiopia under the theme, “Connecting, Celebrating and Contributing: Harnessing the Ugandan Diaspora for National Development.”
The event brought together Ugandan professionals, students, businesspeople, researchers, families and representatives of regional and international organisations to explore ways of connecting their expertise and resources to Uganda’s development priorities.
Speaking at a dinner hosted by the Ugandan Embassy, Uganda’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Rebecca Amuge Otengo, conveyed President Yoweri Museveni’s best wishes to the community and commended Ugandans for their contribution to relations between the two countries.
She urged them to maintain high standards of conduct, respect Ethiopia’s laws and customs, and contribute positively to the communities in which they live and work.
Otengo also encouraged Ugandans abroad to maintain ties with their families and communities back home, remain informed about developments in Uganda and explore opportunities to participate in the country’s economic transformation.
“The development of our country is a shared responsibility. Each of us has something to contribute, whether through professional expertise, new ideas, investment, enterprise or support to our families and communities,” she said.
She added that Ugandans could use their presence in Ethiopia to deepen bilateral relations, promote shared prosperity and contribute to Uganda’s development.
Wondafrash Debere Tolera, who represented Zerihun Abebe, Director-General for African Affairs at Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, commended Ugandans for their conduct and contribution to development in their host country.
Tolera emphasised the importance of people-to-people relations between the two countries, pointing to the growing Ethiopian community in Kampala’s Muyenga, Kansanga and Buziga suburbs, which is commonly referred to as “Little Ethiopia”.
He said Ethiopia wanted the cordial reception enjoyed by its citizens in Uganda to translate into stronger commercial and business relations between the two countries.
Johnnie Muhindo, head of the Diaspora Services Department at Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the forum demonstrated how Ugandans living abroad could contribute to economic growth through investment, trade, skills transfer and partnerships with government and the private sector.
He said the initiative was aligned with Uganda’s economic and commercial diplomacy strategy, which identifies diaspora mobilisation as an important avenue for promoting socio-economic transformation.
Muhindo added that the government was in the final stages of drafting the National Diaspora Policy following consultations with Ugandan communities in different parts of the world.
The policy is expected to provide a framework for strengthening engagement with Ugandans abroad and encouraging their participation in national development.
Participants also received updates from government officials, business leaders and diaspora representatives on opportunities for collaboration, investment and skills exchange. Discussions covered policies supporting diaspora engagement and ways for Ugandans to contribute to development initiatives either by returning home or working remotely.
Ugandans who had registered for national identity cards in May 2026 also received their new cards during the event.
Representatives of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) and the National Identification Registration Authority (NIRA) attended the gathering to share information on services and opportunities available to Ugandans living abroad.
The embassy said NIRA registration services and NSSF advisory services would be available on October 15 at its chancery in the Gerji suburb of Bole, Addis Ababa.
The two-day forum was organised to strengthen links between Uganda’s diaspora and government service providers, promote Ugandan culture and investment opportunities, and encourage citizens abroad to contribute to national development.