MUSEVENI URGES IRANIAN INVESTORS TO ESTABLISH AGRO-PROCESSING FACTORIES IN UGANDA

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has urged Iranian investors to establish agro-processing factories in Uganda rather than acquire large tracts of land for commercial farming, emphasising the need to add value to agricultural produce before export.

Museveni made the remarks on Monday, October 26, 2026, during a meeting with the outgoing Iranian Ambassador to Uganda, H.E. Majid Saffar, at State House, Entebbe.

The meeting focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in agriculture, healthcare and education, alongside investment opportunities in agro-processing, agricultural machinery, seeds and fertilisers.

The President’s proposal followed Saffar’s disclosure that Iranian investors were interested in establishing agricultural farms in Uganda. “The best way is to build factories in Uganda to process agricultural products from our Ugandan farmers. Let the people here produce, and your companies process,” Museveni told the ambassador.

He highlighted investment opportunities in processing cocoa, coffee and pineapples, noting that agro-industrialisation could create jobs, expand trade and increase export earnings.

Under the proposed model, Ugandan farmers would supply agricultural produce, while foreign investors establish factories to process it into higher-value products for domestic consumption and international markets.

Saffar said Iranian companies were interested in processing Ugandan agricultural products and expressed readiness to support cooperatives and agricultural unions to promote trade and employment. “You’re rich in agriculture, and there are a lot of Iranian companies interested in processing Ugandan agricultural products such as cocoa, coffee, pineapples, and we’re ready to support cooperatives and agriculture unions in that line to promote trade and job creation,” he said.

The proposed cooperation could create opportunities for farmers’ organisations to strengthen production, access markets and benefit from increased demand for locally grown produce.

Beyond agriculture, the two leaders discussed expanding bilateral cooperation in healthcare and education, identified as additional areas for strengthening relations between Uganda and Iran.

Museveni thanked Saffar for his service in Uganda and wished him success in his future diplomatic assignments.

The discussions also covered the security situation in Iran and the wider Middle East. Museveni called for an end to identity-based politics, urging countries in the region to recognise one another. “My only advice to the Middle East is to stop the politics of identity. You have the wrong politics and wrong methods of solving problems,” he said.

He further argued that Iran should recognise Israel, while Israel should recognise Palestinian statehood.

The meeting concluded with both sides expressing interest in strengthening bilateral relations through cooperation in agriculture, healthcare, education and trade as Saffar completed his diplomatic tour of duty in Uganda.