UBL inks 5-year deal to supply Uganda Waragi to missions abroad

KAMPALA, Uganda — Uganda Breweries Limited (UBL) has signed a five-year memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to supply its flagship product, Uganda Waragi, and other beverages to Ugandan diplomatic missions worldwide. The agreement, announced Tuesday, May 20, 2025, aims to promote Ugandan products internationally and align with the government’s “Buy Uganda, Build Uganda” initiative.

The partnership is a strategic move to boost export trade and support local production by showcasing Ugandan brands at diplomatic functions and events abroad.

Andrew Kilonzo, UBL Managing Director, hailed the collaboration as a significant step for the private sector in contributing to national economic goals.

“This is a great opportunity for us as a brewery to exhibit our rich, authentic Ugandan brands on an international scale,” Kilonzo said at the signing ceremony. He emphasized that the initiative would not only provide monetary value for UBL and the government but also foster trade and growth within Uganda’s hospitality and tourism sectors.

Under the terms of the agreement, UBL will provide a stipulated quantity of sampling products on a quarterly basis for various stakeholder and diplomatic engagements. The brewery will also be granted opportunities to brand and showcase its products at events hosted by the missions and the Ministry’s headquarters.

Vincent Waiswa Bagiire, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, underscored the Ministry’s commitment to economic and commercial diplomacy.

“One of the mandates of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the Economic and Commercial Diplomacy program with our missions abroad is to facilitate bilateral trade between countries and to find markets for our country’s products,” Bagiire stated. He expressed optimism that providing Ugandan products like Uganda Waragi to guests at diplomatic events would stimulate interest and open further export opportunities.

Bagiire further linked the partnership to the government’s “10-fold growth strategy,” which prioritizes agro-industrialization, tourism promotion, mineral development, and science and technology transfer. He stressed that the Ministry’s export-led growth strategy is directly supported by such partnerships.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has pledged to make products available for sampling to key stakeholders, including potential trade and business partners interested in exporting Uganda Waragi. Additionally, the Ministry will offer information to potential investors regarding import and export opportunities for UBL products in Uganda.