By Netibity Business News
Date: October 8, 2025
Location: Kampala, Uganda
Uganda today hosted the opening of the Stanbic East Africa Business Summit 2025, a landmark event bringing together policymakers, investors, and regional business leaders under the theme “Building Sustainable Growth and Regional Resilience.”
Held at the Serena Conference Center in Kampala, the summit focuses on unlocking trade potential across the East African Community (EAC) by addressing infrastructure, finance, and innovation barriers that slow down cross-border collaboration.
Boosting Intra-African Trade
Uganda’s Finance Minister, Matia Kasaija, emphasized the importance of regional partnerships in driving sustainable economic transformation. He noted that the private sector must “lead the next chapter of East Africa’s growth through innovation, digitization, and inclusive financing.”
Delegates from Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo discussed harmonizing trade policies to ease goods movement within the bloc.
Banking on Regional Strength
Stanbic Bank Uganda CEO Anne Juuko highlighted the bank’s commitment to supporting businesses that create long-term value. “Our focus is not just on profit but on empowering communities to recover stronger from global economic shocks,” she said.
The summit also saw the launch of a $100 million Green Recovery Fund, dedicated to financing sustainable agriculture and renewable energy initiatives in the region.
Innovation and Youth Inclusion
A key theme of the summit was empowering young entrepreneurs. Panels featured startups showcasing fintech, agritech, and logistics innovations aimed at boosting efficiency in East African markets.
Regional leaders agreed that Africa’s future lies in leveraging its youthful population to build self-sustaining economies resilient to external shocks.
Looking Ahead
The summit runs through October 10, with sessions focusing on trade digitization, women in business, and green financing. A final communiqué will outline strategies for post-summit implementation across EAC member states.
