Commodities
Uganda should use Makuutu to negotiate up the value chain
Christopher Burke argues that Uganda should use Makuutu’s strategic review to seek commitments on processing, skills and local procurement
Uganda’s trade deficit hits a record as mineral imports more than double
Uganda’s goods trade deficit reached a record $817mn in August as imports of mineral products excluding petroleum more than doubled, Bank of Uganda figures show
Nearly half of Uganda’s gold exports come from firm Bloomberg links to sanctioned network
Bloomberg says Thaba, behind nearly half of Uganda's gold exports, shares suppliers with a sanctioned refinery, a claim Thaba and Alain Goetz deny
Firmer prices cushion fall in Uganda’s August coffee exports
Uganda's coffee exports fell 13.6 per cent in August as the ICO pointed to a record 2024/25 base and the agriculture minister to drought in growing areas
Robusta shortfall drags down Uganda’s July coffee exports
Uganda's coffee exports declined in July as global prices rose, though annual shipment volumes reached a new high
Softer global prices weigh on March coffee export revenues
Uganda posted higher coffee export volumes in March, but revenues declined as global prices eased on improved supply expectations
February coffee exports rise sharply as volumes climb despite softer prices
February coffee shipments increased significantly, with arabica gains offsetting softer prices amid a more favourable global supply outlook
Uganda shilling weakens sharply as oil prices and global risk sentiment shift
Rising oil prices and shifting investor sentiment drive Uganda shilling to weakest level since mid-2024
UN-backed Shs3.7bn initiative targets Uganda’s coffee seed system overhaul
A €850,000 UNIDO-led initiative targets Uganda’s coffee seed systems to boost yields, farmer incomes and export stabilityMore Commodities
Why bartering Africa’s minerals for security is a bad idea
A US-brokered peace deal between the DRC and Rwanda binds the two nations in a worrying arrangement: one where a country signs away its mineral resources to a superpower in return for vague promises of security
Trump’s Africa summit: offshoring the US’s immigration problem?
Last week, US President Donald Trump hosted a mini-summit with five African leaders at the White House, which was surprising given his stance towards the continent
Critical minerals and technology dependency: key G20 issues for Africa
Thirty percent of the world’s critical minerals come from Africa, and their access is a priority for South Africa’s government during its G20 presidency this year
Goods trade gap shrinks for fifth month in a row
Uganda's goods trade deficit shrank for the fifth straight month in May as exports grew faster than imports into the country, according to central bank data
May saw a surge in coffee exports, driven by a bumper harvest in Masaka and south-western regions
Ugandan coffee exports rose in May due to a successful main harvest in Masaka and the south-western regions, the Uganda Coffee Development Authority said in a recent statement
Merchandise trade deficit slows down on stronger exports
Goods trade exports rose at their fastest rate in 14 months in April, offsetting a surge in goods imports and slowing down the growth of Uganda's merchandise trade deficit
Coffee export revenues surge to new high
Coffee exports rose in July at the fastest pace since August 2023 as revenue surged to yet another record high on strong global prices for robusta beans
Coffee export earnings hit all-time high
Uganda's coffee export earnings rose to an all-time high in June, boosted by rising prices for robusta beans
Coffee exports fall at steepest pace since December 2022
Coffee exports fell by the most in fourteen months in February, but higher global prices led to higher earnings
Trade deficit in goods narrows in December
Uganda's merchandise trade deficit narrowed for the fourth month in a row in December as exports continued to grow at a faster rate than imports
