Determinants of Uganda's Export Competitiveness

The main primary concern of policymakers and macroeconomic analysts is what factors promote or inhibit the flow of Uganda’s exports. Therefore this study was prompted by the need to understand these factors and to what extent they influence the competitiveness of bilateral export trade flows in EAC. Despite policy efforts by government to stimulate trade and embrace integration Uganda’s 15 years average market share exports in the EAC trading bloc stood at 17.11% which is still lagging in relation to other countries like Kenya and Tanzania yet Uganda is a landlocked country and at the center of EAC (with borders of EAC partner states). The study recommends that in order to improve Uganda’s export competitiveness in the EAC policies steered towards decreasing openness of trading partners increasing production increase in demand of importing countries captured by population growth rate and difference in GDP per should be established and enabling factors (drivers) that easy the flow of trade should be advocated for for example strong integration ties infrastructure development like roads; railways; communication networks; power; ports and others.