4th WCO Global AEO Conference

1. Event details

The 4th WCO AEO Global Conference meeting will be held in Kampala, Uganda from 14th – 16th March, 2018 with the theme “Promoting Mutual Recognition of AEOs to Strengthen and Secure Global Trade.”

2. Contact Information

Email: aeo2018@ura.go.ug

Email: aeoglobal2018[@]wcoomd.org

Tel: +256 784 382944

3. About Uganda

Uganda is a land-linked country, located in the East African region, neighboring Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Sudan and The Democratic Republic of Congo. Uganda has a population of more than 40 million and occupies a surface area of 241,038 sq km (93,072 sq miles). It’s the hub that links trade across the regional states and hence a driver of trade facilitation in the region.                  

4. Language

The official language of Uganda is English (official) and Swahili (official). During the plenary English, French and Spanish translation will be provided.

5. Time Zone

Kampala is located in the EAT (Eastern Africa Time) UTC/GMT +3 hours’ time zone.

6. Climate/Weather

Uganda lies in the tropical climate zone as it runs through the equator and has 2 seasons. The rainy season is from March till May and October till November. Light rain season falls in November and December. Dry seasons are from December to February and June to August.

The following measurements belong to the average temperature during the month of May:

• Average lowest temperature - 23 degrees Celsius

• Average temperature 25 degrees Celsius

• Average highest temperature 28 degrees Celsius

7. Food

Meat and chicken stews are popular in Uganda served with rice and matoke (cooked plantain/banana mash).  With Uganda’s many lakes and rivers, fish is an important food. Local fish include the Nile perch, and tilapia. One of the favorite recipes is tilapia served with a peanut sauce.

Though many Ugandans grow coffee beans for a living, chai or tea is the favored hot drink.

8. Electricity

The standard voltage used in Uganda is 240 Volts. The type of plug used is:

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9. Currency Exchange

The currency authorized for any transaction in Uganda is the Ugandan Shilling (UGX). Its exchange rate varies daily in relation to the US dollar and Euro. You can exchange money in banks and forex bureaus located in Kampala and the airport.

1 UGX = 0.000275 USD, 1 USD= 3,639.92UGX

1 UGX = 0.000233 EUR 1 EUR= 4,285.28 UGX

Source: Exchange rate obtained on November 20th, 2017 from BANK OF UGANDA.

https://www.bou.or.ug/bou/home.html

Credit and debit cards are accepted in some commercial establishments, however, it is recommended to carry cash.

10. How to dial

The prefix for dialing from abroad to Uganda is + (256).

11. Entebbe International Airport

At least 80 flights are processed through Entebbe every day from some of the main cities around the world.

The distance from Entebbe International Airport to the Kampala Serena hotel is 40.5 Km; taking approximately 1hour and 4minutes with low traffic. The coordinates of the Kampala Serena Hotel are 0°19'08.0"N, 32°35'11.0"E (Latitude: 0.318889; Longitude: 32.586400).

12. Transportation Service

Free Shuttles from the Airport to the venue hotels will be provided during certain timeframes.

Also, for any additional information there will be a help desk at the airport.

13. Taxi Service at the Entebbe International Airport

Taxis at the Entebbe International Airport provide transportation, leaving from the exit terminal. The service is available 24 hours and the payment is in cash. The transport fare ranges from 40 - 65 USD one way.

14. Visa

Delegates of foreign origin requiring a visa to enter Uganda can review the visa requirements from the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration control under the Ministry Of Internal Affairs.

http://immigration.go.ug/

https://visas.immigration.go.ug/

In case you need visa and there is no Embassy in your country of origin or residency, you can request information in any other consulate office of Uganda from abroad.

List of Ugandan foreign missions: http://www.mofa.go.ug/#

15. Tourist Attractions

Uganda is known for her beautiful scenery such as the Rwenzori Mountain in the western part of the country, coupled with the different species of wild life that inhabit the numerous national parks including; Queen Elizabeth National Park which runs through the great western rift valley and Kidepo national park located in the north Eastern part of Uganda. The country also boasts of forests such as Bwindi impenetrable forest national park; the home of the Gorillas, Budongo forest the home chimpanzees.  The country is sanctified with fresh waters of River Nile that act as a fresh water source for eleven countries, namely, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Congo-Kinshasa, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Sudan, Sudan and Egypt. In particular, it is the primary water source of Egypt and Sudan flowing from Lake Victoria which is Africa's largest lake by area, the world's largest tropical lake, and the world's second largest fresh water lake by surface area, after Lake Superior in North America.  The country has an excellent multi-cultured diversity of the people which include but not limited to; the Bantu-speaking majority, who live in the central, southern and western parts of the country; and non-Bantu speakers who occupy the eastern, northern and northwestern portions of the country.

Places to visit:

 

Namugongo Matyrs Shrine - Exploring the roots of religion in Uganda

About 15 km east of Kampala city lies the Namugongo martyrs’ shrine where more than 20 catholic and Anglican martyrs were burnt alive on the orders of Kabaka Mwanga in June 1886. Consequently, Christians from eastern and central Africa and indeed the world over flock to Namugongo to pay their respects and renew their faith by paying pilgrimage to the martyrs on June 3rd, every year. A church was constructed in the shape of a traditional Baganda hut (akasiisiira) in memory of the martyrs. It stands on 22 copper pillars representing the 22 catholic martyrs. In front of the main entrance to the church, below the altar is the spot where Charles Lwanga, the leader of the Catholics was burnt on June 3rd 1886.The church was consecrated by Pope Paul VI on August 2nd, 1969.

Victoria Nile

The mighty Lake Victoria was thought for a long time to be the source of the Nile. It is in a sense. Waters from the large lake leave by the Victoria Nile to head north to join the Albert Nile in northern Uganda. When the water leaves the massive Lake Victoria, it does so in a spectacular fashion. The water pours out of the lake at the Ripon Falls, also known as Owen Falls Dam, in Uganda. It then goes by the Victoria Nile to Lake Kyoga before joining the Albert Nile. The lake itself is shared by three countries: Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya. The headwaters for the streams that feed the lake, however, originate from the mountains of Rwanda and Burundi.

Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary

Ngamba Island is a project of the Chimpanzees Sanctuary and Wildlife Conservation Trust (CSWCT), established in 1997 and it provides a home for over 40 orphaned chimpanzees to live out their lives, since a return to their natural habitat is not possible, while educating visitors and local communities about their remarkable species and the importance of conserving their fragile forest habitat.

You will view either a morning or afternoon feeding, of the chimpanzees from the visitors platform area along the edge of the sanctuary fence, hear an informative talk by sanctuary staff, enjoy lunch, swimming on the equator, viewing a neighbouring fishing village, bird watching, other wildlife encounters, or just sunbathe and relax.

Safari tours(2/3 days):

 

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is located in Kabale/Kanungu Districts, South West of Uganda on the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), covering an area of 321 sqkm. It is 530km from Kampala.

Bwindi Forest consists of a large primeval forest in East Africa, with altitudes spanning from 1,160 to 2,607 meters. The forest is at the edge of the western arm of the Great Rift Valley. Bwindi Forest was recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as a World Heritage Site for being the home of half the world's population of endangered Mountain Gorillas as well as being one of the most biologically diverse areas on earth.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, is part of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, located Southwestern Uganda, covering an area of 331 sq Km of jungle forerst. It consists of 120 species of mammals, 346 bird species, 202 butterfly species, 163 tree species, 100 fern species, 27 frog species, as well as other many endangered species including chameleon, gecko to mention a few.

Kidepo National Park

Kidepo ranks among Africa’s finest wildernesses. From Apoka, in the heart of the national park, a savanna landscape extends in all directions, far beyond the gazetted area of 1442km2, towards horizons outlined by distant mountain ranges.

The park has a semi-arid climate with just one rainy season per year (April-September) and rainfall is light. The valley of the Narus river in the south of the park receives some 890mm of rain/year while just 635mm of rain/year falls in the Kidepo valley to the north. Both rivers are seasonal, and dwindle and disappear in the dry season. During these months, the only permanent water in the park is found in wetlands and remnant pools along the southern Narus valley near Apoka and as a result, wildlife is concentrated in this area. This consideration, combined with the valley’s open, savanna habitat, makes the park a prime game viewing location on a Uganda safari. Indeed it is possible to sight a good variety of wildlife simply by scanning the valley with binoculars from the comfort of the Apoka lodge.

The Murchison Falls 

The Murchison Falls National Park lies at the northern end of the Albertine Rift Valley, where the bulky Bunyoro escarpment merges into the vast plains of Acholi land. One of Uganda's oldest conservation areas, it was initially gazetted as a game reserve in 1926 to protect a savanna that Winston Churchill described in 1907 as 'Kew Gardens and the zoo combined on an unlimited scale'.

The park is bisected by the Victoria Nile which first races down 80km of white-water rapids before plunging 40m over the remnant rift valley wall at Murchison Falls, the centre piece of the park. The Falls drains the last of the river's energy, transforming it into a broad, placid stream that flows quietly across the rift valley floor for 55km to Lake Albert. This stretch of river provides one of Uganda's most memorable wildlife spectacles on a Uganda safari. Regular visitors include elephant, giraffe and buffalo while hippopotamus and Nile crocodile are permanent residents.

For more information on the tourist sights, please visit: http://www.visituganda.com/index.php