PRETORIA, South Africa, (UGNEWSLINE) — South Africa and Uganda have pledged to strengthen trade, investment and political cooperation, with both countries identifying opportunities in mining, energy, agriculture, manufacturing and tourism as they seek to turn longstanding diplomatic relations into tangible economic gains.
The commitment was reaffirmed on Tuesday during the ministerial meeting of the Third Session of the South Africa-Uganda Joint Commission of Cooperation (JCC) in Pretoria, co-chaired by South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, and Uganda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Adonia Ayebare.
The meeting considered and adopted recommendations from a senior officials’ meeting aimed at expanding cooperation across key sectors and strengthening political and diplomatic engagement between the two countries.
Lamola said the commission remained an important mechanism for advancing bilateral relations and promoting shared interests through the African Union (AU), the East African Community (EAC) and other multilateral platforms.
He pointed to previous engagements, including the second Joint Commission meeting in Kampala in 2022, a mid-term review in Pretoria in 2023 and Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s state visit to South Africa that year, as milestones in the relationship.
Lamola welcomed Uganda’s emphasis on economic and commercial diplomacy, saying it offered opportunities to translate strong political ties into increased trade and investment. He identified mining, energy, agriculture, telecommunications, tourism and manufacturing as priority areas for closer collaboration.
The presence of major South African companies in Uganda, including telecommunications group MTN, Standard Bank through its subsidiary Stanbic Bank Uganda, and Absa, illustrated the scope for further commercial engagement, he said.
Ayebare, meanwhile, stressed the importance of sustained political consultations at bilateral, regional and continental levels, highlighting the countries’ shared commitment to African integration, peaceful resolution of conflicts and the promotion of African interests at the AU and the United Nations.
He said economic cooperation remained central to the relationship, pointing to opportunities in manufacturing, agro-processing, mining, energy infrastructure, information and communication technology, and financial services.
To strengthen business links, Ayebare proposed trade missions and business forums to bring together companies, investors and other economic stakeholders from both countries, with the aim of identifying opportunities and building direct commercial partnerships.
He also called for efforts to address obstacles to trade, including non-tariff barriers, high logistics costs and regulatory challenges, which can constrain the movement of goods and limit commercial opportunities.
Tourism was another area identified for closer cooperation, with Ayebare proposing joint destination marketing, hospitality training, skills development and conservation initiatives to increase tourist flows and improve the competitiveness of both countries.
On immigration, he called for arrangements that facilitate legitimate travel for business, education and other economic activities. He welcomed South Africa’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system, citing positive results for Ugandan businesspeople and students.
Both ministers emphasised the need to implement agreed commitments effectively, maintain regular bilateral consultations and remove barriers to trade to unlock the full potential of economic cooperation.
The meeting comes as the two countries seek to build on their established diplomatic relations and expand commercial partnerships. The challenge will be to translate the commitments made in Pretoria into practical measures that increase trade, attract investment and support shared development priorities across their respective regions.
The Third Session of the Joint Commission of Cooperation provides a framework for advancing that agenda, with both governments signalling their intention to strengthen economic ties while continuing to coordinate on regional and continental issues.
