KAMPALA, Uganda — President Yoweri Museveni has officially launched the inaugural shipment of powdered milk destined for Algeria.
The flag-off ceremony, held at State House Entebbe, was attended by officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries, including Minister Frank Tumwebaze, as well as representatives from Brookside Limited.
During the event, the President dispatched four containers of powdered milk, totaling 500 metric tons.
This initial consignment is part of a larger agreement that will see Uganda export 2,100 metric tons of premium milk powder, valued at over $8 million, to the North African nation.
These exports are a direct outcome of bilateral discussions and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) established during President Museveni’s visit to Algeria in March 2023.
This agreement paved the way for Ugandan coffee, milk, and other products to access the Algerian market.
Minister Tumwebaze lauded Brookside and the broader dairy industry for achieving this significant milestone. He expressed optimism that increased exports would provide sustained market stability for Ugandan dairy farmers.
“Algeria is a market we’ve been pursuing for some time. When the President visited that country in 2023, one of the bilateral negotiations and the MOU we signed was to allow our coffee and milk. I want to congratulate Brookside, as well as the dairy sector and its farmers, on the opening of this market,” Tumwebaze stated.
Kennedy Gatheru, the Director of Finance at Brookside Africa Limited, emphasized the potential of this partnership to unlock a substantial market that could benefit the entire country. He thanked President Museveni for his personal role in securing the Algerian market.
“From your personal trade intervention, and with your involvement, we are confident of securing further export opportunities for our range of dairy products,” Gatheru remarked.
Last year, while hosting Ahmed Attaf, Algeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and a special envoy of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, at Nakasero, President Museveni acknowledged the growing cooperation between Uganda and Algeria.
He also expressed his appreciation to his Algerian counterpart for the tangible progress in realizing the bilateral agreements.
During the same meeting, Minister Attaf informed President Museveni of Algeria’s intention to redirect its annual $700 million milk import budget towards Uganda, citing the high quality of Ugandan fresh milk.
