The Second Meeting of the IGAD Business Forum was convened in Kampala, Uganda. The meeting which was attended by IGAD Member State’s national chambers of commerce and industry and representatives from Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda and IGAD Secretariat called for the advancement of business in the region.
The meeting was opened by Ambassador Julius Onen, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism of the Republic of Uganda. Ambassador Onen stated that Uganda was honoured to host the second IBF meeting and expressed his appreciation to the Uganda Chamber of Commerce and Industry for hosting once again the IBF meeting. He welcomed all participants to Uganda and encouraged them to visit and discover Kampala city and Uganda at large. Ambassador Onen reiterated the importance of IBF in promoting regional trade and urged Members to pay their contributions in order to sustain the activities of the IGAD Business Forum.
Mr. Joseph Rwanshote, Programme Manager, Trade Industry and Tourism delivered to the IBF a message on behalf of IGAD Executive Secretary, Eng. Mahboub M. Maalim. In his statement Eng. Mahboub urged the participants to commit strategy that will ensure the success of the forum.
Participants of the meeting observed a minute of silence in honour of the victims of the terrorist attacks in Kampala on 11th July 2010.
The IGAD Business Forum (IBF) was first established in 2002 and re-launched in a conference convened in Kampala, Uganda on 4-5 May 2010.
