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Uganda To Host Business Clustering Conference for Africa

Pan African Countries in Red

Pan African Countries in Red

UGANDA will host the third annual global conference of the Pan African Competitiveness Forum, which focuses on helping firms develop through business cluster initiatives.

Business clustering is the grouping of firms doing similar businesses in a given geographic location. The initiative helps create a business critical mass, which increases productivity and competitiveness at national and global market fronts.

The conference will explore how to enhance the working relationship between business actors in innovations, academia and African governments’ business development agencies.

The conference will run from February 1 to 4 at the Imperial Resort Beach Entebbe. Over 400 participants are expected from across the world.

It is organised by Innovation Systems and Clusters Programme and the Private Sector Foundation Uganda with support from Makerere University, the Swedish International Development Agency and the Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

“Uganda is privileged to host this global conference, we are optimistic that the issues to discuss will help our local businesses come together and pursue a common development goal for the good of the country’s investment strategy,” the ISCP/PACF Uganda chairman Dr. Yasin Ziraba told New Vision during an exclusive interview.

He said that ISCP/PACF Uganda chapter has been able to help in the formation of over 22 business cluster initiatives, a move that has created immense benefits through attracting financial products from banks as well as monetary and technical assistance from donor agencies.

“We have been able to establish linkages where human resource from the academia helps entrepreneurs in the informal sector to enhance their innovations through professional knowledge infusion process,” he said.

Local key note speakers at the conference include; Uganda Investment Authority executive director Prof. Maggie Kigozi, executive director Uganda Industrial Research Institute Prof. Charles Kwesiga among others.

The New Vision Newspaper

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Feb 07, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		Uganda: Role Model For Africa in Business Clustering
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ECONOMISTS have said business clustering is a critical innovation African states should to undertake to fast-track the continent’s economic development.

According to Peter Kempinsky, a clustering development expert from the Scandinavian Institute for Competitiveness and Development, continents that have supported the business cluster formation have improved business environments through skills development.

Business clustering is the grouping of people involved in similar businesses in a given geographical concentration.
The initiative increases productivity and competitiveness at national and global market fronts.

“We believe that well-managed business clusters in African will enhance returns on investments,” Kempinsky said.

He was addressing participants during the third annual global conference of the Pan African Competitiveness Forum at the Imperial Resort Beach Entebbe.

Kempinsky observed that since clusters pool scattered businesses together, they enable owners to enjoy large economies of scale that come in forms of easy financing from banks, information sharing and easy lobbying for support.

Participants were told that cluster companies in Korea had increased from 197 in 2007 to 300 by the end of last year. Their annual revenue increased from $1b to $3b.

According to Kempinsky, experts are banking business cluster development hopes on Uganda, which is currently serving as Africa’s role model.

Uganda has established over 22 business clusters across the country, according to the ISCP Uganda co-ordinator, Dr. Bernabas Nawangwe.

By David Ssempijja: The New Vision Newspaper

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