[{"bbox": [96, 153, 1161, 295], "category": "Text", "text": "Digitalization is increasingly impacting our economies through growth in e-commerce. The Action will contribute to enhancing the level of adoption of e-commerce by MSMEs, connecting MSMEs to markets digitally, strengthening capacities of BSOs in e-commerce, as well as supporting the development of the e-commerce ecosystem of Uganda (Output 5). In turn, a growing share of e-commerce involves cross-border sales and therefore contributes to increased trade and investment for Uganda (Outcome)."}, {"bbox": [96, 313, 1161, 398], "category": "Text", "text": "By structuring the European private sector, providing direct services to companies and supporting the organisation of B2B and B2G activities (Output 6), the Action will directly contribute to enhancing trade and investment between Uganda and the European Union (Outcome)."}, {"bbox": [96, 415, 1161, 730], "category": "Text", "text": "Enabling the potential of trade and investments to generate and improve employment in developing countries is a key priority for the European Union. Trade improves jobs, impacting on the skill level of women and men workers, improving productivity through economies of scale, diversified client base and knowledge transfer, which can be linked to positive wage premiums and skills upgrading. The Action will accompany the Government of Uganda in its trade facilitation role for the private sector, allowing Uganda to seize more opportunities in the global and regional markets. Through the capacity-building of the trade-related regulatory bodies, strategic diversifying exports and expanding investments, improved compliance to quality standards, and better use of e-commerce, the project will assist the Government at making the Ugandan private sector more competitive with increased exports. Overall, by facilitating and promoting an inclusive sustainable and green trade and investment between Uganda and the EU (Outcome), the Action will contribute to sustainable inclusive economic growth and decent job creation in Uganda (Impact)."}, {"bbox": [96, 747, 1161, 1204], "category": "Text", "text": "The Action fits into the broader framework of the Sustainable Business for Uganda (SB4U) TEI. It complements a number of ongoing and upcoming initiatives funded by Team Europe, to form a substantial and relevant package in support of private sector development and increased trade and investment between the EU and Uganda. Complementing the SB4U 1.0 Action (AAP 2022), SB4U 2.0 focuses on the Trade pillar of the SB4U TEI. This additional contribution to the TEI will allow to step up even further the political and policy dialogue around trade, investment and job creation, both with key actors in Government and with European and Ugandan private sectors. Since 2020, the EU has taken a leading role in improving investment and trade flows and promoting a partnership of equals by bringing the private sector at the table along with the EU, Member States and key public actors. The Action allows to seize to the momentum created by the organisation of the 2nd Uganda – EU Business Forum in October 2022 and the organisation of several events under the umbrella of SB4U Platform. The Action will provide a powerful instrument to turn the spotlight on the vibrant trade and investment relations between the EU and Uganda. In addition, this action will prepare the ground for the implementation of the EU-EAC EPA, offering the EU more leverage to push for its ratification. Finally, the action allows to respond to the momentum created by the recent accession of DRC to the East African Community (EAC), the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the envisaged EU strategy for Great Lakes, as well as to make the link with a number of multi country initiatives in the pipeline (Strategic corridors for example)."}, {"bbox": [1027, 1682, 1142, 1706], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 20 of 31"}]