Uganda has secured the bid to host the 2025 UNESCO Africa Engineering Week and Conference at the state-of-the-art Speke Resort Convention Centre (SRCC), a landmark venue that has rapidly positioned the country as a competitive player in Africa’s MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) industry. The event not only affirms Uganda’s growing capacity to host high-level international gatherings but also reflects the strategic role of SRCC in anchoring the country’s ambition to become a regional hub for knowledge exchange, innovation, and professional development.
Uganda will host the 11th UNESCO Africa Engineering Week and the 9th African Engineering Conference from 14th to 20th September 2025 at the Speke Resort Convention Centre in Munyonyo, Kampala. Organized by the Uganda Institution of Professional Engineers (UIPE) with support from the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) and other partners, the event will run under the theme “Leveraging Engineering Innovations and Technology to Accelerate Africa’s Socio–Economic Transformation.”
The conference is expected to attract engineers, policymakers, educators, researchers, students, and industry actors from across the continent. It will feature keynote addresses, technical sessions, exhibitions, and STEM-focused educational and public engagement activities aimed at elevating the profile of engineering across Africa.
Commenting on the development, Uganda Tourism Board CEO Juliana Kagwa noted that the successful bid reinforces the country’s growing stature in the international conference tourism arena. “Hosting this prestigious event aligns with our efforts to position Uganda as a leading destination for conferences and events,” she said. “We are confident that attendees will experience the beauty and hospitality of Uganda while contributing to important discussions and advancements in the field of engineering.”
MICE Sector Performance and Outlook
Uganda’s successful bid comes on the back of an improving performance in its Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) sector. According to the 2025 Tourism Statistical Abstract, the country hosted 491 MICE events in 2024, attracting 32,693 international delegates and 69,721 domestic participants. These events generated an estimated USD 27.6 million in tourism receipts, accounting for approximately 6.1 percent of total tourism earnings.
UTB’s MICE strategy aims to build on this momentum. By 2026, Uganda targets to host more than 980 MICE events annually, increase foreign delegate numbers to over 60,000, and grow MICE earnings to between USD 45 and 50 million. The strategy also seeks to raise the proportion of MICE tourists to at least 10 percent of total international arrivals, secure no fewer than 15 high-level events annually, and train and certify at least 100 professionals in MICE-related services.
The UNESCO engineering conference is aligned with these targets and is viewed as a strategic opportunity to attract additional events in related sectors such as infrastructure, education, innovation, and sustainability.
Speke Resort Convention Centre’s Growing Role
The venue for the 2025 conference, Speke Resort Convention Centre (SRCC), is Uganda’s largest and most advanced events facility. Commissioned in January 2024, SRCC has rapidly become a preferred site for large-scale regional and international engagements. Within its first year, it hosted the 19th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit, the 3rd G77 + China South Summit, the Uganda–EU Business Forum, the 2024 ITU Global Symposium for Regulators, the Commonwealth Speakers and Presiding Officers Conference, and the Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo (POATE 2024).
Located on the shores of Lake Victoria and 13 kilometres from Kampala’s central business district, SRCC offers more than 56,000 square metres of event space, including a 4,400-seat auditorium, three grand ballrooms, 19 meeting rooms, and six outdoor venues. The facility also features 476 guest rooms, a floating restaurant with a seating capacity of over 900, and a range of recreational amenities including an Olympic-size pool, spa, gym, equestrian centre, and helicopter services.
Its scale, accessibility, and successful hosting record make SRCC a key driver in Uganda’s MICE ambitions and a suitable venue for hosting international gatherings such as the upcoming UNESCO Africa Engineering Week.
About the UNESCO Africa Engineering Week
UNESCO Africa Engineering Week is an annual continental event designed to promote the role of engineering in Africa’s sustainable development. It brings together stakeholders from government, academia, the private sector, and civil society to highlight engineering’s contributions to problem-solving, infrastructure development, innovation, and the achievement of national and regional development goals.
The event also serves to encourage youth participation in STEM fields, foster intergenerational knowledge exchange, and strengthen the visibility of engineering solutions designed within Africa for African challenges.
Planning and Coordination
Preparations for the 2025 conference are underway, led by UIPE in collaboration with UTB and other government and private-sector entities. The event is expected to contribute to Uganda’s tourism, professional services, education, and innovation ecosystems. It will also support ongoing efforts to attract high-impact international events and position Uganda as a capable and competitive MICE destination in the region.
The selection of Uganda as host, supported by investments in infrastructure such as SRCC and a clear national MICE strategy, reflects a deliberate shift towards maximising the country’s participation in regional development and professional advancement platforms.
