Nabbanja asks European nations to reconsider coffee restrictions on Uganda

7 November 2026, 9:13 am

By Ronald Ssemagonja

Uganda’s Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has asked European countries to reconsider regulations that restrict coffee imports from countries such as Uganda over concerns that the coffee was grown on deforested land.

Nabbanja argued that coffee is a tree crop that contributes to environmental protection, adding that Uganda should not be unfairly disadvantaged by regulations targeting agricultural products linked to deforestation.

She made the remarks yesterday at her office in Kampala while meeting a delegation of Italian investors led by Stefano Gatti, Director General for Development Cooperation at Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The delegation is in Uganda to explore investment opportunities in coffee production, waste management and agro-processing.

“Imagine this roasted Ugandan coffee filling the air and grown in the fertile soils of Uganda. Perhaps this is what has attracted a big Italian delegation to Uganda to discover for themselves that coffee is not made from a laboratory but from trees that grow like any other natural tree in the world,” Nabbanja said.

The Italian delegation pledged support for Uganda, which Nabbanja welcomed. She directed the responsible ministries to liaise with the team to ensure that the proposed areas of cooperation are followed up.

Later, Nabbanja and Gatti officiated at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Italy-Uganda Coffee Training Centre at Kyambogo University.

The centre is intended to strengthen cooperation between Uganda and Italy through skills development, climate-resilient farming and improved coffee processing, grading and value addition.

Speaking at the ceremony, Nabbanja called for increased investment in the coffee sector as Uganda targets annual production of 20 million bags by 2030. She said industrial-level training and improved processing are important in adding value to Ugandan coffee exports and increasing household incomes.

The Second Deputy Prime Minister, Dr Crispus Kiyonga, thanked Nabbanja for what he described as the important initiative of inviting the Italian delegation to Uganda to experience coffee production first-hand.

The delegation, comprising about 80 members, is expected to meet President Yoweri Museveni at State House Entebbe today, according to the Prime Minister.