Uganda has formalized an agreement with a business association from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to build a new international airport, as announced by President Yoweri Museveni’s office on Friday. This project will mark the country’s third international airport, further extending the UAE’s economic influence beyond its interests in renewable energy, oil, and gas industries.
Currently, Uganda’s main airport is Entebbe International Airport, located on the northern shores of Lake Victoria in central Uganda. Another airport, Kabalega International Airport, is under construction in the oil-rich Hoima District in western Uganda.
The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry will spearhead the construction of the new airport, situated just outside Kidepo National Park in the northeast, near Uganda’s border with Kenya. While the statement did not disclose the project’s cost, it was confirmed that construction is set to begin in August, according to Abdallah Sultan Al Owais, chairman of the Sharjah business body.
This new airport aims to enhance tourism by attracting more visitors to the 1,442 sq-km Kidepo National Park, renowned for its lions, giraffes, buffaloes, and other big game.
President Museveni highlighted the significance of this agreement, stating, “This agreement signifies the deepening relations with our Gulf partners and presents another opportunity for cooperation in investment and trade.” Museveni, who witnessed the signing, shared these thoughts in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
