By Aggrey Twesigye
The French Ambassador to Uganda, Virginie Leroy, has reaffirmed France’s commitment to supporting entrepreneurship, innovation, climate change mitigation and women’s economic empowerment in Uganda.
The ambassador made the remarks on Monday during a meeting with officials from the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) and members of the business community in Mbarara City, where discussions focused on strengthening partnerships for sustainable economic development.
Leroy said the French government remains committed to supporting initiatives that promote entrepreneurship and innovation while helping Uganda address the growing effects of climate change. She noted that Uganda is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change, making investments in climate resilience and sustainable development a priority.
She added that France is also interested in supporting key infrastructure projects aimed at empowering women in business and improving their access to affordable financing to expand their enterprises and contribute to economic growth.
Speaking during the meeting, Kansiime Jackline Umwiza, the Regional Manager for South Western Uganda at PSFU, identified youth unemployment as one of the major challenges affecting the region. She noted that many young entrepreneurs are unable to access commercial bank loans due to lack of collateral.
Umwiza also observed that although many women have acquired land through different government programmes, there is a need for more training to help them effectively utilise available financial services and loans. She further appealed for support towards irrigation infrastructure, especially for coffee farmers, citing prolonged dry seasons and limited access to irrigation schemes.
