NTUNGAMO — United States Chargé d’Affaires in Uganda Mikael Cleverley has visited the Africa Coffee Park in Ntungamo District as Uganda seeks to expand value-added coffee exports to the US market.
Cleverley and his delegation were received by Inspire Africa Group (IAG) Chief Executive Officer Nelson Tugume, who led them on a tour of the park’s coffee-processing facilities, including roasting, spray drying and freeze drying.
The technologies enable the production of value-added coffee products, including refined instant coffee and other coffee-based products.
Tugume thanked Cleverley for the visit and highlighted the support Inspire Africa Group received from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) during the group’s establishment in 2017, including support for youth mentorship programmes.
He also briefed the US delegation on the park’s plans to enter the American market, including a proposal to establish a coffee shop in Woodstock, Chicago.
Tugume said the expansion plans had been affected by travel restrictions linked to the current Ebola situation and called for continued dialogue on measures that would facilitate business travel and strengthen trade and investment between Uganda and the United States.
The two sides discussed opportunities to increase Uganda’s coffee exports to the US and deepen commercial ties between the two countries.
Cleverley expressed support for efforts to strengthen bilateral trade and investment, while highlighting improved air connectivity as an important factor in facilitating the movement of people and goods between Uganda and the United States.
The visit comes amid efforts to strengthen Uganda-US commercial relations and explore opportunities under the emerging US “Trade Over Aid” approach, with potential investment areas including agriculture, tourism, technology and transport.
The Africa Coffee Park is a 150-acre industrial hub in Ntungamo District focused on coffee processing and value addition.
The facility uses technologies including freeze drying to produce instant coffee and other coffee-based products, including beauty products and energy drinks.
The park is part of efforts to promote agricultural value addition and strengthen strategic agricultural value chains under Uganda’s National Development Plan IV.
