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Uganda and the EU

A record trade year

Uganda closed FY2024/25 with its largest ever surplus with the European Union. Here is where the value moved, which markets bought, and what they bought.

Explore export opportunities

Trade flows with the EU

US$ million, financial year
Exports to EUImports from EU
Uganda's exports to and imports from the EU, FY2017/18 to FY2024/25, in US$ million05001,0001,5002,00017/1818/1919/2020/2121/2222/2323/2424/25Exports to EUImports from EU
+80.8%

Growth in exports to the EU between FY2023/24 and FY2024/25, lifting forex reserves and easing balance-of-payments pressure.

−0.1%

Imports from the EU were flat year on year, consistent with the import replacement and export promotion agenda.

$1.16bn

Trade surplus in FY2024/25, the largest on record. It points to improving export competitiveness under the EU trade arrangements.

Trade balance

US$ million, exports less imports
Uganda's trade balance with the EU by financial year, in US$ million17/1818/1919/2020/2121/2222/2323/24+$1,163M24/250
SurplusDeficit

Where Uganda's exports land

Top 5 EU destinations, US$ million

Italy takes coffee, fish and cocoa. Germany takes coffee and minerals. The Netherlands takes flowers, fruit and vegetables. Greece, Romania, Sweden and Poland buy the least.

ItalyGermanyNetherlandsBelgiumSpain
Uganda's exports to its top five EU destinations, FY2019/20 to FY2024/25, in US$ million02505007501,00019/2020/2121/2222/2323/2424/25

Where imports come from

FY2024/25, US$ million
Uganda's largest EU import sources in FY2024/25, in US$ millionNetherlands $150M-0.4% Germany $116M+17.3% Italy $107M+74.8% Belgium $85.7M+33.7%

FY2023/24

These four markets supply more than half of everything Uganda buys from the EU, led by pharmaceuticals, mineral fuels and electronic appliances.

What the EU buys

2023, US$ million
Uganda's leading export products to the EU in 2023, in US$ millionCoffee, tea, spices $585M+37.1% Fruit, veg, flowers $58.9M-5.4% Fish, crustaceans $53.5M+6.6% Cocoa $44.4M+23.9% Mineral fuels, oils $30.9M+5.0%

2021

Coffee, tea and spices carry the basket. Cocoa grew fastest off a small base, more than doubling against 2022.

View the underlying data
Trade flows, US$ million (Bank of Uganda)
FYExportsImportsBalance
17/18569.27493.7975.48
18/19504.09678.69-174.60
19/20512.52505.277.25
20/21563.45772.63-209.18
21/22772.79649.65123.14
22/23785.40805.04-19.64
23/241069.75772.49297.26
24/251934.48771.741162.74
Top EU destinations, US$ million (Bank of Uganda)
Market19/2020/2121/2222/2323/2424/25
Italy170.03193.58318.76351.07472.63930.74
Germany90.0499.93142.15149.97197.21331.98
Netherlands87.5091.2294.3996.10169.25254.44
Belgium74.2590.3296.3070.0488.73144.63
Spain38.7143.6343.8038.1768.51116.68
Top import sources, US$ million (Bank of Uganda)
MarketFY2023/24FY2024/25
Netherlands150.12149.58
Germany98.68115.80
Italy61.24107.03
Belgium64.1285.74
Leading export products, US$ million (Trade Map, 2024)
Product20212023
Coffee, tea, spices426.24584.58
Fruit, veg, flowers62.2858.90
Fish, crustaceans50.2253.53
Cocoa35.8344.40
Mineral fuels, oils29.4230.88

Sources: Bank of Uganda (financial years, July to June) and Trade Map, 2024 (calendar years, converted from US$ thousand).