Besides gold being a long-term store of value, the precious metal has been found to provide protection against financial sanctions imposed by Western governments COMMENT | LUKE HARTIGAN | Over the past few years, central banks have been quietly buying up significant quantities of gold. As the trend has …
Read More »Why Washington is chasing the money behind M23 rebels
New American sanctions target the commercial networks that turn Congo’s conflict minerals into global business NEWS ANALYSIS | RONALD MUSOKE | For years, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo’s wars have been fought with rifles, rockets and militias. Increasingly, however, Washington believes the conflict is being sustained somewhere else …
Read More »Inside Museveni’s 2026 SONA
From a business and economy perspective, the president bets on growth, demands delivery Kampala, Uganda | JULIUS BUSINGE | President Yoweri Museveni used his 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA) to present a largely economic scorecard of Uganda’s transformation journey, highlighting strong growth in GDP, exports, agriculture, manufacturing …
Read More »Africa turns gold refineries into reserve diversification engines
African central banks are increasingly linking domestic gold refining to reserve management as countries move to retain more value from minerals. The shift reflects a broader effort to diversify away from foreign currency assets while strengthening local supply chains. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Uganda’s foreign exchange …
Read More »Uganda’s export earnings surge 63% driven by gold, coffee
KAMPALA, UGANDA | Xinhua | Uganda’s export earnings for the year ending February 2026 grew by 63 percent largely due to gold and coffee, a new report said here Saturday. The Performance of the Economy Report for March 2026 issued by the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development showed …
Read More »BoU taps local refinery in push to build gold reserves
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Bank of Uganda has signed a contract with Euro Gold Refinery to supply gold under its Domestic Gold Purchase Programme, marking a shift toward local value addition as the central bank moves to strengthen its reserve base. The agreement follows the central bank’s decision to directly purchase gold …
Read More »From Goldfields to Ghost Revenues: What Tanzania gets right that Uganda still struggles with
Kampala, Uganda | URN | Uganda may soon establish mineral markets as part of the efforts to ensure that the minerals produced in the country benefit the economy and Ugandans in general. While the country is endowed with vast mineral resources, including gold, lithium, copper, and rare earths, among others. …
Read More »Big win for artisanal miners as DR Congo pilots first gold refinery
The refinery is expected to deliver fairer prices, transparent trading systems and new market opportunities for thousands of artisanal miners, trading posts, and small- and medium-scale mining operators. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Small-scale miners in the Democratic Republic of Congo are tipped to gain access to a …
Read More »Ugandan gold exporter in Shs190bn tax evasion scandal
The racket stretches from officers at the export declaration point at Entebbe Airport all the way to the highest echelons at URA Kampala, Uganda | IAN KATUSIIME | Thaba Investments Limited, a major refiner and exporter of gold in Uganda, is under scrutiny for allegedly evading millions of dollars in …
Read More »Uganda’s Economic Outlook: Bank of Uganda and NPA officials advise caution and strategic growth
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Uganda’s economic future is poised between opportunity and caution, according to top officials from the Bank of Uganda and the National Planning Authority (NPA). In a wide-ranging discussion this week, Professor Augustus Nuwagaba, Deputy Governor of the Bank of Uganda, and Dr. Muwawala, Executive …
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