Uganda has offered to host a regional hub for the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance as the country seeks to expand financing opportunities for women entrepreneurs and strengthen their participation in the business sector.
Vice President Jessica Alupo made the offer while addressing the International Women in Finance Forum, where she highlighted Uganda’s efforts to promote women’s economic empowerment through affirmative action, education and targeted government financing programmes.
Alupo said Uganda was open to hosting the regional hub to support the activities of the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance, which brings together women entrepreneurs and business leaders within the BRICS cooperation framework.
“We have all the confidence that the New Development Bank, an initiative of the BRICS+ Movement, will be a tool for friendly corporate financing, for which our women entrepreneurs can take full advantage,” Alupo said.
She added that Uganda hoped to see the progress made in women’s political representation and public service leadership extend further into the business sector.
According to Alupo, women constitute approximately 51 per cent of Uganda’s estimated population of 50 million, making their economic participation critical to the country’s development.
She said the government had, since the National Resistance Movement came to power in 1986, pursued policies intended to increase women’s participation in national affairs.
Alupo cited women’s representation in senior government positions, including the vice presidency, the premiership, the judiciary, Cabinet and the civil service, as evidence of the country’s progress.
She also pointed to affirmative action in education, noting that women have increasingly graduated from Ugandan universities in greater numbers than men.
The Vice President said government financing programmes provide special consideration for girls, women, young women, elderly women and women with disabilities.
She further noted that Uganda’s Constitution requires at least 30 per cent of elected leadership positions at all levels to be occupied by women.
However, Alupo said the government wanted to see similar progress in business ownership, corporate leadership and access to financing, where women entrepreneurs could benefit from expanded investment opportunities.
She highlighted the role of women in Uganda’s commercial sector, citing women’s leadership in business organisations, banking and corporate management.
The proposed regional hub would provide an opportunity to strengthen cooperation among women entrepreneurs and improve their access to business networks and financing opportunities across the region.
Alupo concluded by expressing hope that the forum’s deliberations would produce practical outcomes to advance women’s economic empowerment.
“Uganda will keep its doors open, with the possibility of hosting a regional hub for the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance,” she said.