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Moroto, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Euro Gold Refinery has signed an agreement with the Kakoka Artisanal Miners Association in Abim District to support licensed gold production and improve access to formal markets, as Uganda seeks to strengthen oversight of its artisanal mining sector.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed on August 11 at the refinery’s head office in Kamwokya, Kampala, provides for technical support, mining infrastructure development, responsible mining practices and local value addition.
Under the arrangement, Euro Gold Refinery says it has helped the association secure an artisanal gold mining licence and will support the development of infrastructure at its mining site.
The partnership comes as the government seeks to bring more artisanal and small-scale miners into the formal economy, improve working conditions and strengthen the traceability of gold produced in Uganda.
“This partnership marks an important step toward strengthening collaboration, creating opportunities, and advancing shared objectives between KAKOKA and EURO GOLD REFINERY,” the company said in a statement.
The signing ceremony was attended by members of the Kakoka executive board and Euro Gold Refinery director Benard Feni.
Kakoka’s executive director, Denis, welcomed the partnership, saying the refinery’s assistance in securing a mining licence and developing site infrastructure would help protect miners from exploitation, improve safety and increase their earnings.
The agreement was followed by a visit to the mining site by State Minister for Minerals Phiona Nyamutoro, who has advocated the formalisation of artisanal and small-scale mining.
For miners operating outside formal regulatory structures, obtaining a licence can provide a route to recognised markets and greater legal certainty. However, formalisation also requires continued investment in equipment, occupational safety, environmental management and compliance with mining regulations.
The agreement commits Euro Gold Refinery and the association to improving mining practices, providing technical assistance and supporting local processing of gold.
“Euro Gold Refinery is excited to support their mining journey through meaningful partnerships, value addition and community empowerment. Together, we are building a stronger, more sustainable future for Uganda’s mining industry,” the company added.
The Kakoka agreement adds to Euro Gold Refinery’s expanding network of artisanal mining partnerships. The company says it works with mining communities in Busia, Mubende, Buhweju, Kassanda, West Nile and Karamoja, linking local producers to refining capacity and formal markets. It also reports that more than 70% of its workforce comprises Ugandans trained in gold refining.
The refinery, commissioned in July 2025, is seeking a larger role in Uganda’s gold industry as the government promotes domestic processing rather than relying solely on exports of unrefined minerals.
Its expansion follows an agreement with the Bank of Uganda under the Domestic Gold Purchase Programme. In April 2026, the central bank signed contracts with Euro Gold Refinery and Feldstein Trading Limited to supply gold for its reserves.
According to Feni, Euro Gold secured the contract through a competitive bidding process.
“The central bank made an open call for bids, and Euro Gold has won the contract. We have already signed; we were competing with different international companies, where we emerged as the best bidders. We have since received confirmation,” Feni said.
The central bank’s programme is intended to diversify Uganda’s reserve assets while supporting domestic gold production and refining.
However, the expansion of formal gold trading comes amid longstanding weaknesses in the regulation of Uganda’s mineral sector.
The Auditor General’s 2024 report found that gold valued at $3.014 billion, approximately Shs11 trillion, had been exported during the 2023/24 financial year without the required permits. The report also identified Shs68.84 billion in accumulated unpaid gold export levies
