The United Arab Emirates-UAE, through Sharjah government has committed itself to improve the Kidepo National Park Airstrip in order to accommodate jet aircraft.

This comes as an effort to attract more tourists from the UAE to Uganda in which the Uganda Embassy in the UAE and the UAE Embassy in Kampala are hosting a delegation from the Emirate of Sharjah.

According Uganda Media Center, the delegation is being led by H.E Abdallah Sultan Al Owais, the Chairman of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industries.

The Uganda Media Center noted that, the Runway will be expanded from 1.5 km to 3.5 km. They also plan to build a high-quality lodge to provide suitable accommodations for the anticipated increase in tourists from the UAE and other Gulf countries.

Kidepo National park Airstrip also known as Kidepo Airport is located in Northern Uganda and it receives daily flights from Entebbe International Airport and these flights are primarily for tourists visiting Kidepo Valley National Park. The Airport is also used by tourists planning to visit Murchison Falls National Park.

In 2022, the Uganda tourism board launched a new tourist brand “Explore Uganda the Pearl of Africa” in Dubai UAE as a priority tourist market source.