Uganda is positioning itself as an increasingly important business, tourism, and logistics gateway in East Africa, and aviation infrastructure sits at the center of that transformation. How do you see Uganda Civil Aviation Authority contributing to Uganda’s broader economic development agenda today?

Aviation is about a safe, secure, efficient and sustainable civil aviation system. And positioning Uganda as a competitive regional aviation hub aligns with national development priorities. Our mandate usually is to advise governments to regulate aviation and ensure aviation safety and security. It also supports modernisation of airports and is also responsible for the provision of air navigation services.

So, you may have seen other aviation systems already regulating or operating airports, or providing air navigation services. For us, we are three in one. We are a regulator, an airport operator and also an air navigation services provider.

Because of that role, apart from safety, security and sustainability of aviation, we are actually able to go at the heart of the development plans of the country in actually promoting economic activities like tourism, promoting air cargo exports, promoting movement of people, passengers, and actually being at the centre of infrastructure provision of the country in as far as the area of aviation is concerned. We are a big enabler in the development of the country.

One of the biggest developments currently underway is the government’s planned restructuring of Uganda Civil Aviation Authority, which would separate aviation regulation from airport operations by 2027. How do you see this transition strengthening Uganda’s aviation sector, and what opportunities could emerge from this institutional reform?

It will strengthen it greatly, because it gives clear a mandate to the entities that have been created, that is airport operations entity and also the regulator. For the regulator, it removes conflicts of interest and concentrates on regulating the industry.

This decision was made because we have expanded. We were trying to build all the entities at once, because the industry was not big enough to separate those roles. But as we go on, the industry has expanded and they must separate. Issues of conflict of interest have arisen. Even efficiency issues are not 100% efficient, because we are doing so many things, taking so many roles. So, if we get separated, each entity will look at its area and be efficient in that area. We will be better focused.

In terms of emerging opportunities, it is easy for an airport operator to concession as many of its functions as possible under its mandate. So, you get efficient concessionaires in many areas,such as ground handlers, food providers, the other common ones like duty-free shops, restaurants. You give them to people who actually have grown competencies in those areas, and then you continue to operate the airport under one umbrella, but comprising on those concessions. You allow those people who know what to do, to do it, but under your own concessions. So,this is going to create a lot of opportunities. Even for the private sector, both locally and internationally. There is currently a lot of modernisation and expansion.

Significant investments have been made in modernizing Entebbe International Airport, from passenger terminal upgrades and cargo handling improvements to air traffic control modernization. What are the most important infrastructure developments currently underway, and how will they reshape Uganda’s aviation capacity over the next decade?

It is also true that both passengers and cargo have increased.And because of that, we must also, in the same step, increase our infrastructure. Not only in Entebbe, but even in other airports we are building. And not only airport infrastructure, but even supportive infrastructure, like air navigation infrastructure, upgrades. Of course, to operate with an increased, expanded aviation sector, but also to upgrade using modern technologies.Because the world has gone into modern technologies. So, whereas we used to have stand-alone radar systems, we have even satellite systems today, which are moving all the time to digital.

But coming back to the airport infrastructure, we have completed a new 20,000 square metre passenger terminal at Entebbe International Airport, and two additional aero bridges.We have expanded things like check-in counters, 26 of them, 14 of which are self-check-in service facilities. So, we have moved from a 2 million capacity per year to 3.5 million this year.

As I said, we still have the air navigation service provision laws.We have upgraded navigation aids and landing systems at very many aerodromes in the country, which of course includesEntebbe and others. And we are still upgrading even terminal buildings of places like Kisoro.

We have strengthened air-ground communications, especially the high frequency communications through radios by extending range networks. In terms of air navigation, the whole country is called Entebbe flight region, and we have improved coverage across the whole Entebbe flight region.

There have been discussions around developing a new international airport in Mbarara as part of Uganda’s long-term aviation strategy. How important would such a project be in strengthening Uganda’s position as a regional aviation hub, and what broader opportunities could it unlock for the country?

The Mbara airport is an idea to open the country a little bit more, to reposition itself as an aviation hub. Open the country, but also use advantages of the location of the country to the rest of the world, to allow a bigger hub in Uganda than it has been so far.

It is extremely necessary, because our location actually favours aviation. From Cape Town to Cairo is almost half way. From the east to the west, Congo and Mombasa, we are almost in the middle. Even in the world, by the way. From Santiago in Chile to Japan, you cannot get any other middle position.

So, our location is really favouring that effort to have an expanded aviation industry in the country. Because we will not be depending on internal flights only. Even those long–haul flights, both cargo and passengers.

Airlines don’t just fly to the country without the urge by passengers to go to that country. It is for various reasons, mainly economic. There are a lot of economic activities that are taking place here. Tourism, very big reason. In terms of cargo, of course there must be something to pick or to drop. Increased economic activity means increased capacity to even purchase cargo from elsewhere. But also, pick cargo from the country, especially agricultural cargo. So, it is both ways. Airlines don’t just fight to be in a country just for the sake of it. There is always a business case they are creating for the country.

Looking ahead, what are the key strategic priorities and infrastructure projects that will shape the next phase of Uganda’s aviation sector, particularly in enhancing regional connectivity and improving access to the country’s tourism and economic centers?

The country has not been using air transport as it should have been for increased connectivity, both in the country but also in the region and on the continent. There are many other initiatives that are taking place to make sure connectivity is eased through air transport. In the Ugandan region, first of all, we are revamping airports, regional airports in Uganda, for quick mobility of both people and cargo.

In the region we have agreed that we ease connectivity,especially in what you call tourism circuits, in the tourism attraction centres, like national parks. We do not want people to leave one particular national park and first come to Entebbe before they can go to where a national park is. And these national parks are not located in the cities. They are in the regional areas. So, if you come from Kenya, let’s say Lake Nakuru National Park, and you want to go to Kidepo, you should not first come to Entebbe, you should fly directly to Kidepo. Tours should be that way.

Realizing Uganda’s ambition to become a regional aviation and logistics hub will require strong infrastructure, strategic partnerships and seamless connectivity. What do you see as the key ingredients for achieving that vision, and how is the government working to create the right environment for airlines and investors?

We need partner airlines, obviously. But in our case, as a government, we have been fixing regional airports. So, if these partners are there, and they are, they will find ready infrastructure on the ground.

We have a project in the region that continues to adjust, to improve our infrastructure for purposes of regional connectivityand ease of business.

How is UCAA working alongside UTB and Uganda Airlines in order to promote the aviation industry on an international level?

There is no air transport life without the tourism industry in this country. That partnership is compelling, I should say. In fact, we are deliberately on the board of the tourism board ourselves.That underscores the importance of this industry to the tourism industry, and vice versa.

Of course, our regional airports are strategically located almost exclusively near tourism attraction centres, especially national parks and other attractions. And we have been workingprincipally to ease the tourism, the tourists’ life in those places.So, that partnership has long existed. Even in our difficult times, we have not lost sight of that partnership.

The airlines, especially Uganda Airlines. In their strategic planwe probably will talk to them. They have that internal connectivity as part of it. So, the expansion of both Entebbe and regional airports works in tandem with the expansion of the airline.

International airlines and investors place significant emphasis on safety and regulatory standards when assessing aviation markets. How is UCAA ensuring Uganda continues to meet—and exceed—global aviation standards while strengthening confidence in the sector?

I will highlight once more our expansion programmes and our need to separate the roles. Because aviation is attracted mainly by how safe, secure and sustainable an aviation system is. Of course, if you had many accidents here, you would not be having these airlines applying to come here. So, they must beconfident that we are capable to oversight the industry and comply with the many standards that are set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. The scores are published all over the globe. So, an airline cannot come if it sees the possibility of incoherent safety systems here that are graded as low. Our scoreis comparable to one of Canada, to everywhere. In the last auditwe scored 72% in safety, and a global average would be60-66%. In security, we scored 81.6%. So, they can see the safe industry in Uganda. It’s about compliance with standards that makes the industry attractive