President Museveni has called on Iranian investors to establish agro-processing factories in Uganda instead of acquiring large tracts of land for commercial farming, arguing that the country should prioritise value addition before exporting agricultural produce. During a meeting with outgoing Iranian Ambassador Majid Saffar at State House, Entebbe on Monday, Museveni said Uganda offers significant investment opportunities in processing cocoa, coffee and pineapples. He told the ambassador: "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." The President argued that agro-industrialisation would create jobs, expand trade and increase earnings from agricultural exports.
Saffar disclosed that Iranian investors were interested in establishing agricultural farms in Uganda and said Iran was ready to strengthen agricultural cooperation. The ambassador said: "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." The proposed model would see Ugandan farmers supply raw materials while foreign investors establish industries to process them into higher-value products for domestic consumption and export. Such cooperation could create opportunities for agricultural cooperatives and farmers' organisations to access markets, strengthen production and benefit from increased demand for locally grown produce.
The bilateral discussions also covered the supply of seeds and fertilisers, agricultural machinery and broader investment opportunities. Beyond agriculture, the two sides discussed expanding cooperation in healthcare and education as potential areas for strengthening relations between Kampala and Tehran. Museveni used the meeting to thank Saffar for his service in Uganda, saying: "Thank you for a successful tour of duty, and I wish you good luck in your future assignments."
The meeting also addressed geopolitical issues. Museveni called for an end to identity-based politics in the Middle East and urged countries in the region to recognise one another. Citing longstanding tensions between Iran and Israel, the President argued that both countries should recognise each other, while Israel should also recognise Palestinian statehood. "Iran should recognise Israel. Israel should recognise Palestine," he said. He told the ambassador: "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."