Embassy of the Netherlands in Uganda

01/09/2026

Today Ambassador presented her credentials to His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at Statehouse Entebbe. Back at the residence in Kololo, the embassy team gave her a warm welcome and we celebrated the festive occasion with a toast 🥂Congratulations to Her Excellency Ambassador Samura. We wish you a wonderful and fruitful tenure in Uganda!

01/09/2026

27/08/2026

👋 HUMANS OF THE EMBASSY

“My name is Astrid Mastenbroek and I recently joined the Embassy as First Secretary for Food and Nutrition Security.

Uganda is not new to me, as I have lived here before, so I am very happy to reconnect with old friends and meet many new ones.

I am very excited to be here and to work in Uganda’s agricultural sector, bringing Ugandan and Dutch interests together.
In my work, I value partnerships built on mutual trust and respect. I am here to listen, to learn, and to understand what people see as the opportunities and challenges in agriculture. My work focuses on resilient farming systems, well-functioning and inclusive markets, and better conditions for smallholder farmers. I also look at the realities that shape agriculture, including seasonality, social norms, and the different roles and opportunities for women, men, and youth.

I look forward to working with colleagues and partners in Uganda and the Netherlands to create practical opportunities together.

It is good to be back.”

26/08/2026

Farewell, Hans 👋
After almost 42 years with the Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken including the past five years in Uganda, our colleague Hans Raadschilders is retiring.

In his farewell speech, Hans reflected on a career spanning continents — from the Colombian Amazon and the Sahel to Tanzania, Egypt, DRC, China and, most recently, Uganda.

Along the way, he shared lessons that go well beyond agriculture and diplomacy:
- Development is about people, not paper. Understanding what motivates different stakeholders is essential to building lasting partnerships.
- Trust opens doors that money cannot. From working with governments to bringing together farmers, businesses and development partners, Hans’ experience showed the value of investing in relationships.
- A diplomat can be a bridge. His years in Tanzania taught him that sometimes the most important role is connecting different sides and helping people find common ground.
- Change takes time. His message to colleagues and partners was clear: agricultural development is not a sprint. Staying the course, building trust and giving approaches time to deliver can bring results beyond expectations.

And perhaps the most Hans-like lesson of all: “We are not here for the easy stuff.”

We thank Hans for his dedication, sharp thinking, humor and commitment to making a difference, and for the many partnerships and friendships he leaves behind.
We wish you all the very best in retirement, Hans!

19/08/2026

👋 HUMANS OF THE EMBASSY - Ambassador designate Angèle Samura

"I am delighted to have arrived in Uganda and excited to begin this new chapter as Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Africa is part of both my professional journey and our family’s story. My husband is from Sierra Leone, and together we are the proud parents of two daughters and a son. Living and working across different countries and cultures has strengthened my curiosity about people, their stories and what drives them. It has also taught me that the strongest relationships begin with listening, openness and mutual respect.

This is the spirit I hope to bring to my work in Uganda. A key priority for me is to deepen the political and economic partnership between our countries and create more opportunities for trade and investment. I look forward to working with our Ugandan partners to identify shared interests and turn them into practical cooperation that benefits both our countries. I am impressed by the work the Netherlands is already doing in Uganda, and proud to join such a committed embassy team.

In the coming months, I hope to meet many Ugandans — from government and business to civil society, culture and local communities. I am also keen to get to know the Dutch community and the many people and organisations who connect our two countries every day. Beyond the meeting rooms, I look forward to discovering Uganda through its people, places, food and culture — in Kampala and across the country.

There is much for me to learn and discover. I look forward to the conversations ahead.

Webale nnyo for the warm welcome!"

07/08/2026

🐄 From 20 calves to a thriving agribusiness 🥛

Yesterday, the judges of the Best Farmers competition visited Kasirye Breeders in Mityana, the farm of last year’s overall winner, Hood Kasirye. He started a few years ago with just 20 Frisian calves. Today the farm has grown to over 270 cows and 20,000 poultry layers, and he’s far from done.

With his prize money, Hood invested in a feed-mixing machine to make the farm more self-sustainable. He’s recently started producing yoghurt from his own milk and opened an outlet in Kampala. He also shares what he’s learned: offering masterclasses and farm tours so other farmers can grow alongside him.

A nice detail from our Embassy’s Andrew Byaruhanga, one of the visiting judges: just like in the Netherlands, Kasirye Breeders plays music for the cows to keep them calm and happy in the barn.

Best Farmers Uganda is our annual competition, organized together with KLM, DFCU, Koudijs, and New Vision Group. Winners travel to the Netherlands to exchange experiences with Dutch farmers and receive prize money to grow their businesses. This year’s winners are being selected now, Best Farmers 2026 coming soon.

Congratulations again to Kabirye Breeders!

06/08/2026

The Netherlands values meaningful youth engagement in designing the future and creating social impact. We therefor fully fund the participation of 40 inspirational young entrepreneurs and leaders from across the world to the One Young World conference.

The annual OYW Summit convenes the brightest young leaders from 190+ countries and 250+ organisations. Candidates have been identified who are either running, or part of a scalable start-up/SME, with demonstrable social and/or environmental impact, either as an entrepreneur or similar role.

This year’s group, funded by the Netherlands, include two amazing participants from Uganda and we would like to introduce them to you!

Meet: Nalubega Joan

“I am the Founder and CEO of Uganics Repellents Ltd, a Ugandan social enterprise transforming malaria prevention through affordable, plant-based health products.

My journey began from personal experience. Growing up in an orphanage in rural Uganda, I suffered repeated malaria infections throughout my childhood. That experience inspired me to dedicate my life to ensuring that no child or family suffers from a preventable disease simply because protection is inaccessible.

Today, Uganics integrates mosquito repellents into everyday products such as soaps, lotions, petroleum jelly, sprays, and candles, making malaria prevention easy and affordable. Beyond health, we empower women farmers to cultivate the medicinal plants used in our products, creating sustainable livelihoods while strengthening local supply chains. Since 2017, our work has reached over 5 million people through prevention products, community education, and women-led community initiatives.

Through my participation in the One Young World Conference, I hope to build meaningful partnerships, learn from fellow global leaders, and share Africa’s innovations in preventive healthcare. I also hope to bring back ideas, collaborations, and opportunities that will help Uganics expand access to malaria prevention across Africa. I look forward to the upcoming Summit!”

05/08/2026

The Netherlands values meaningful youth engagement in designing the future and creating social impact. We therefor fully fund the participation of 40 inspirational young entrepreneurs and leaders from across the world to the One Young World conference.

The annual OYW Summit convenes the brightest young leaders from 190+ countries and 250+ organisations. Candidates have been identified who are either running, or part of a scalable start-up/SME, with demonstrable social and/or environmental impact, either as an entrepreneur or similar role.

This year’s group, funded by the Netherlands, include two amazing participants from Uganda and we would like to introduce them to you!

Meet: NAHWERA EUFEMIA Nahwera Eufemina
“I am a Ugandan agribusiness professional and full-time social entrepreneur with a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Livestock and Business from Makerere University.

I am the Founder and Team Lead of Api Limited, a social enterprise that empowers secondary school students and teenage mothers through commercial beekeeping. We provide practical training, traditional hives, quality harvesting equipment, and market linkages to help participants increase productivity, generate sustainable incomes, and adopt environmentally responsible practices. My commitment to creating inclusive economic opportunities earned me the Social Venture Challenge Award in 2022.

I am passionate about building resilient agricultural value chains that improve rural livelihoods, create dignified employment, and promote environmental conservation. My vision is to scale Pearl Api Limited’s impact by expanding access to sustainable beekeeping, strengthening community resilience, and partnering with organizations that share a commitment to youth empowerment, social innovation, and sustainable development.

From participation in the Conference, I hope to strengthen my leadership, exchange ideas with global changemakers, learn best practices, expand my network, and build partnerships that increase Pearl Api Limited’s visibility, attract funding, and accelerate sustainable impact for rural communities and the environment.”

Link: https://lnkd.in/dqCcm3bu