The study identifies the potential sectors and products for export intensification and diversification using the Hausmann Atlas of Economic Complexity and the International Trade Centre’s Export Potential Assessment approaches. Overall, the results suggest that Uganda has a comparative advantage for export intensification and diversification in the agricultural, minerals, light manufacturing and textile sectors. In addition, Uganda is exploiting only 62 percent of its potential export market, suggesting that there is a 38 percent unutilized export market that needs to be tapped into. To leverage the available opportunities, the government needs to undertake efforts to enhance the competitiveness of Uganda’s export products, primarily agricultural, mineral, light manufacturing and textile products, by improving the economic infrastructure (energy, transport and e-commerce) and addressing institutional inefficiencies (bureaucracy and corruption). In addition, the productive, marketing and exporting capacities of current and prospective exporters need to be built to tap into the regional markets. The government also needs to provide adequate and timely information regarding the available export diversification and intensification opportunities in Uganda’s key trading partners. Lastly, tapping into export markets also requires strengthening the existing institutional framework for export promotion to ensure that critical stakeholders are well coordinated and have a shared vision.
