business opportunities and needs. 

The programme is expected to develop the local SME capacity; and, is supported by United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO).
The Ag. Executive Director UIA, Mr. Arthur Bweire Tukahirwa said SPX is an online database aimed at profiling small medium enterprises and linking them to large domestic and multinational companies.

"The programme is a technical information centre with information about the capacities and competences of its members and a promotion centre for
matching-making between supply and demand, partners and investors," said Tukahirwa.

SPX Uganda will specialise in the promotion and development of industrial subcontracting based on the global SPX methodology of match making, promotion, benchmarking and supplier development, according to Mr. Tukahirwa.

He said the programme will begin with the metal fabricators, machining and processing, all forms of manufacturing plastics (extrusion, injectionand blowing) sectors based in Kampala and will later spread out to other sectors and regions in the country.

Ugandan SMEs in these sectors stand to benefit by building their production capacity, expanding markets for their products and a number of products they offer for sale.

SMEs are one of the pillars of the Uganda government's Prosperity For All (PFA) programme spearheaded by President Yoweri Museveni. Local political, economic and social monitoring organisation, Public Opinions based in Kamwokya, Kampala, is one of the leading promoters of SMEs and has made countrywide sensitisation workshops especially for the youth in Uganda.

UNIDO has successfully implemented SPX in over 36 countries like Ghana, Ivory Coast, Senegal, China, India, Turkey, South Africa, Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria. Uganda is the first country to join the programme in the East African region.