KAMPALA — American actress, Sheree Whitfield has sought investment opportunities in Uganda’s cultural heritage tourism, real estate and movie production.
The Hollywood actress was part of a 16-member team led by Senegalese-American celebrity and businessman Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam, who met the President earlier in the week upon invitation by the Office of the Senior Presidential Advisor on Diaspora Affairs.
After the meeting, Akon, a musical star, left his wife Rozina Negusei with the business delegation that has been in the country for a week, scouring different opportunities.
Sheree who featured in Real Housewives of Atlanta, praised country’s heritage as “something that needs to be explored by the rest of the world”.
“You have the best weather and I see myself living here as my second home'” Sheree said during an interview promising to invest in country’s heritage tourism.
The proprietor of SHE by Shereé Clothing line added that she will as well invest in real estate by setting up High-end lodges and apartments that will be owned and rented out by tourists.
She revealed plans of contributing to Uganda’s movie, Film and TV production industry by sharing her earned skills over years.
Speaking about her visit, the Trade and Investment Officer in the Office of the President, Isaac Kigozi noted that Sheree’s visit to Uganda comes as a response to the call put up by President Museveni to all historical diasporas to return to their cradle land.
Kigozi assured Sheree of all the necessary support from the Office of the President and all government agencies such as the Uganda Tourism Board UTB) to ensure that her investment dream comes to pass.
During her dinning at State House, President Museveni gave Sheree a new name, Mutuungo which means Tall, Elegant like a palm tree.
Museveni woes investors
President Museveni told the investors that Uganda is the right investment destination and boasts of a skilled, but affordable labour force, a large market from the East African region, Africa, the American market through the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) – a legal framework for selected countries to export to the US tariff and quota-free.
He also said free markets in China and Europe are easily accessible from Uganda.
According to the President, his government is working on reducing the cost of power and transportation to lower the cost of doing business in the country.
