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New Zealand’s contact with Uganda is usually infrequent and confined mostly to international fora, particularly the Commonwealth. New Zealand has recently established diplomatic relations with Uganda and on 1 November 2006 the Ugandan High Commissioner based in Canberra presented credentials to the Governor-General, formally establishing accreditation.
In March 2007 President Museveni conducted a bilateral visit to New Zealand while in the country to attend the Commonwealth Local Government Forum conference in Auckland. Hon Nanaia Mahuta visited Uganda in June 2007 to attend the Commonwealth Womens’ Affairs Ministers Meeting.
Capital Kampala
Population 29.8 million (2006 est.)
Land area 199,710 sq km
Main language English (Luganda, Swahili, Bantu
and Nilotic languages widely spoken)
Constitutional Status Unitary
Republic
Head of State Yoweri Museveni
Vice President Speciosa Kazibwe
Currency 1 New Ugandan Shilling (NUSh) = 100 Cents
GDP: US$9.2 billion (2006 est.)
Inflation: 6.4% (2006 EIU estimate)
Economic Sectors: Services; agriculture; industry
NZ Exports: NZ$426,982 (year ending December 2008) - Main Exports - Clothing (28%); electric transformers (16%); video recording apparatus (15%) - NZ Imports - NZ$9,322 (year ending December 2008) - Main Imports - musical instruments (42%); toys (20%); basketwork (16%)
The Government is made up of the President (Head of State, elected by universal suffrage), and his appointed cabinet. In the first elections under the new constitution, Yoweri Museveni was re-elected president in May 1996, and a new parliament was elected in July 1996.
The new legislature comprises 282 members, of whom 214 are elected by universal suffrage, with the others representing interest groups. In 2005 Uganda voted to install a multi party system and President Museveni was re-elected in the election which followed in 2006. The next elections are due in 2011.
Formerly a British protectorate, Uganda became independent in 1962. In the 1970s and 1980s Uganda was subject first to the military dictatorship of Idi Amin from 1971 to 1979 and then the return to power of Milton Obote, who had been ousted by Amin. Since the 1980s, Uganda has rebounded from civil war and economic catastrophe to being an example of relative peace, stability and some prosperity. Civil war, however, continued to rage in the north of Uganda for the next 20 years between the Ugandan government and the Lord’s Resistance Army. A ceasefire has been in place for a year and peace talks are now underway.
Regional relations have dominated Ugandan foreign affairs in the past few years, which have seen a treaty signed in 1999 with Kenya and Tanzania reinstituting the East African Community (EAC), which subsequently came into effect in 2005. In the short term, this operates as a customs union, but longer term plans include common travel documents (common work permits are planned for introduction over the next two years), and potentially a common currency and ultimately a federal political union. Burundi and Rwanda are also set to join the EAC. Rebel activities across the boundaries with Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan have been a source of friction in the region.
Uganda is also a participant in wider multilateral fora such as the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the African Union, the United Nations and the Commonwealth. On 2 March 2007 Uganda despatched the first contingent of African Union peacekeeping troops to Somalia in an effort to stabilise the country after the Union of Islamic Courts forces were ousted by Ethiopian forces backing the Somali transitional government.
Uganda’s economic history is a story of decline and then more recent growth. Before Idi Amin came to power in 1971, Uganda had one of the richest economies in tropical Africa. Political insecurity has however, devastated the population and slowed the growth of the economy. Agriculture is the most important sector of the economy, employing over 80% of the workforce. Coffee is the primary export crop.
More stability has been achieved under Museveni’s leadership, and the economy has expanded. Current economic policy is focussed around the government’s poverty eradication action plan (PEAP), which runs from 2004/05 – 2007/08. Key objectives include increasing access to education and healthcare, improving tax collection and improving infrastructure. Economic policy has been monitored by the IMF since 2006 and its first review, published in January 2007, was broadly positive.
A number of challenges
remain for Uganda to continue its economic growth,
including ongoing development of key infrastructure.
The Safetravel website provides a travel advisory for travellers to Uganda [external link].
