By Wakibi Iddi
Uganda’s Chargé d’Affaires to the United Nations, Amb. Godfrey Kwoba, shakes hands with Amb. Dan Negrea, U.S. Representative to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), following deliberations on upcoming Trade Over Aid deals
Uganda is seeking to use the Roosevelt Africa Trail to attract investment, expand tourism and trade, and build technology partnerships with the United States as the initiative moves towards commercial opportunities.
The push comes ahead of the Trade Over Aid – Deals Showcase, scheduled for 25 September in New York, where Government officials, participating countries, US companies, financial institutions and international organisations are expected to explore potential commercial transactions, including deals, Letters of Intent and Memoranda of Understanding.
The showcase will focus on high-impact projects valued at $50 million and above, giving Uganda an opportunity to present investment proposals to potential American partners.
The Roosevelt Africa Trail is based on former US President Theodore Roosevelt’s 1909–1910 expeditionthrough East Africa and seeks to connect the historical journey with modern opportunities in tourism, conservation, trade, technology and investment across Uganda, Kenya, South Sudan and the United States.
The initiative gained momentum on 10 September 2026 when Uganda’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations and the Roosevelt Africa Trail convened a high-level engagement in New York under the theme “Shared Heritage, Shared Opportunity.”
US Representative to the United Nations Economic and Social Council, Ambassador Dan Negrea, expressed support for the initiative and indicated that the Roosevelt Africa Trail would become the first entry in the emerging US “Deals Library”, which is intended to connect projects with American investors, financial institutions and companies.
“I want you to know the first entry in the Deals Library will be Roosevelt Africa Trail. It seems to me an obvious thing for us to support and bring to life,” Negrea said.
Uganda’s Chargé d’Affaires to the United Nations, Ambassador Godfrey Kwoba, said the initiative had evolved beyond its historical foundation into a platform for economic engagement involving Uganda, the United States, Kenya and South Sudan.
“The Trail has become a platform connecting Uganda, the United States, Kenya and South Sudan. The opportunity now is to turn this shared heritage into a shared opportunity, bringing trade, tourism, finance and investment,” Kwoba said.
Potential areas of collaboration include tourism infrastructure, hospitality, agriculture, aviation, digital connectivity, artificial intelligence, conservation and heritage technology.
Joshua Sentongo, Director of Business Development and Strategy at the Roosevelt Africa Trail, said the initiative was intended to create opportunities for businesses in both East Africa and the United States.
“This is Trade Over Aid in practical terms. As East Africa gains tourists, infrastructure and investment, American companies gain customers, contracts and new markets. The opportunity works in both directions,” Sentongo said.
The initiative also draws on renewed interest in Theodore Roosevelt’s legacy following the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora, North Dakota, on 4 July 2026. The 96,000-square-foot facility provides an additional link between Roosevelt’s American legacy and the African locations associated with his expedition.
For Uganda, the proposed trail could create opportunities for tourism circuits around historical sites associated with Roosevelt’s journey while supporting businesses in hospitality, transport, tour operations, agriculture and technology.
However, the opportunities remain at different stages of development and should not be regarded as secured investments until agreements, financing and implementation arrangements are formally concluded.
“The 25th September showcase will therefore provide another platform for Uganda to present bankable projects. It will test whether the Roosevelt Africa Trail can be translated from a shared historical connection into lasting trade and investment.”