The United Nations (UN) has tipped Ugandan entrepreneurs on how they can access UN procurement opportunities not just in Uganda but globally.
This was during the third annual UN business seminar organized by the United Nations Global Procurement Support section based at the UN Regional Service Centre Entebbe (RSCE), where more than 150 vendors attended. With over 300 Uganda vendors already registered with the UN since 2022, the seminar focused on empowering more businesses to achieve global standards and succeed in a competitive world.
Paulin Djomo, the executive director of RSCE, said they aimed to make the business owners understand the UN procurement process, evaluation criteria, vendor registration procedure, standards required and how to find business opportunities in the various agencies of the United Nations.
He told the vendors that registration on the UN global marketplace opens a wall of opportunity allowing them to widen their business footprint and enlarge their portfolio. He stressed that the registration process is simple and free of charge.
"We are always looking for new sources of supply, particularly vendors from developing countries or countries with economies in transition. Ugandan vendors have the advantage of being very competitive due to the central location of Uganda and its proximity to UN operations. We also strongly encourage women-owned businesses to participate in our procurement processes," he said.
General Wilson Mbadi, the state minister for Trade, said the Ugandan government appreciates the engagement because it does not only contribute to the creation of employment, but also promotes the working and sharing of information on business opportunities available globally.
Mbadi, however, said since the UN procurement processes are very competitive, they ought to concentrate on standards and compliance and improve the quality of their products and services so that they can be as competitive as other businesses from other countries.
According to the UN procurement statistics of 2023, Uganda ranked 32 globally in UN procurement with a total volume of $199.6 million involving 21 UN organizations.
