Uganda Hosts First Diaspora Convention in Tanzania to Bolster National Transformation

The Uganda High Commission Dar-es-Salaam, in collaboration with the Association of the Ugandan Community in Tanzania (AUCT), successfully hosted the 1^st Uganda Diaspora Convention on May 23, 2025 under the theme: Harnessing the Diaspora Potential for Socio-economic Transformation: Strengthening Uganda-Tanzania Ties.

Held at the Johari Rotana Hotel, the landmark event brought together Ugandans living in Tanzania, senior Ugandan government officials, private sector leaders and development partners to engage in dialogue and investment plus development opportunities back home.

The convention was officially opened by Ambassador Charles Ssentongo, Chief of Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on behalf of the Permanent Secretary Mr. Bagiire Vincent Waiswa, where he thanked participants for participating in the inaugural Diaspora Convention organized by the UHC in Tanzania in collaboration with the AUCT to exchange ideas and discuss topics that matter to them.

He emphasised Uganda Government’s high level of prioritization for the promotion and protection of Uganda’s interests abroad, of which its citizens in the diaspora are an integral component. While acknowledging the needs of the diaspora he highlighted that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Uganda Missions abroad, with the support of all other MDAs, have attempted to address these various needs.

Amb Sentongo acknowledged the objective of Vision 2040 to address a number of bottlenecks to Uganda’s socio-economic development and transformation through the mechanization of agriculture, improving transport infrastructure, investing in human capital, harnessing natural resources, and accelerating industrialization and value addition, among others.

Delivering opening remarks, H.E. Col (Rtd) Fred Mwesigye, Uganda’s High Commissioner to Tanzania, emphasized the need to formalize diaspora engagement and create actionable partnerships that drive economic growth and regional integration. “This convention offers a historic platform for dialogue, collaboration, and innovation. Together, we can transform diaspora potential into tangible impact,” he said.

The High Commissioner reaffirmed his commitment to serving the diaspora community, listening to their needs, and protecting their rights and interests.

He re-echoed that the event’s success was attributed to the collaboration and support of various partners, including the Association of Ugandans in Tanzania and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uganda.

The Convention featured insightful presentations from Dr. Hilary Musoke Kisanja, Senior Presidential Advisor (SPA), Agri-Business, on Government policies for the diaspora and available support structures and engagement strategies, Ms. Judith Kasozi Namaganda, Senior Immigration Officer, DCIC, MoIA on Dual Citizenship, Processing of travel facilitation documents, Immigration Policies and Legal Frameworks, Mr. Apedel Andrew, Senior Registration Officer, NIRA on National ID Registration for Ugandans in the Diaspora and other services and Mrs. Rita Nabateregga Mugula, Senior Investment Executive, UIA, on Investment Sectors and opportunities in Uganda and Government incentives for diaspora investors.

These discussions yielded interactive feedback with the crowd with the Mission officially becoming the first mission abroad to roll out the new NIRA system with new services available that include National ID Registration, Renewals and Replacement. This has essentially become a major step in bringing services closer to Ugandans in the diaspora.

A special panel discussion, “Unlocking Wealth Back Home,” featured representatives from leading financial institutions including NSSF, Post Bank, Housing Finance Bank, and Centenary Bank. Panelists shared financial products tailored to diaspora needs, such as affordable mortgages, treasury bonds, digital banking solutions, and real estate opportunities.

The convention also showcased success stories from Ugandan entrepreneurs in Tanzania and explored government policies on dual citizenship, immigration and national identification registration.

Amb. Fred Mwesigye concluded the session by affirming Uganda’s commitment to protect diaspora rights and expand diaspora services through closer collaboration with ministries, departments, and agencies.

The convention will proceed with a Diaspora Awareness Run and then followed by a networking gala on May 24, targeted towards protecting diaspora rights and expanding diaspora services through closer collaboration with ministries, departments and agencies.