H.E. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is to officially open the 4th African Congress of Accountants on May 2 at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala. This is the first time Uganda is hosting the continental event that has so far confirmed participation by 933 professional accountants. The conference runs from 2nd–5th of May, 2017 under the theme: Accountancy and Accountability: Transforming Africa’s Economies.
The accountants’ congress, which is held every two years, is the flagship event for Africa’s accounting professionals. This year’s congress is jointly organized by the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda (ICPAU) and the Pan African Federation of Accountants (PAFA).
Business leaders will join the accountants to discuss issues and strategies that can transform the Africa’s economies. The keynote speaker is Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, the former Chairperson of the African Union Commission. Other speakers include Uganda’s finance minister, Hon. Matia Kasaija; the president of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), Rachel Grimes; Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda (ICPAU) president, Dr. Protazio Begumisa; and the Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya School of Law, Prof. P.L.O Lumumba, among others.
Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) is working with ICPAU to give the participants an experience beyond the congress. Apart from the six partner hotels, participants will be staying at many other facilities in Kampala. There are so far 445 confirmed participants from outside of Uganda while 488 Ugandans with some coming from out of Kampala.
“This partnership between a professional body like ICPAU is one of the strategies to promote tourism arrivals through the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events (MICE),” says Mr. Stephen Asiimwe, the UTB Chief Executive Officer.
“We are working with the private sector through their associations like the Uganda Tourism Association, and the Association of Uganda Tour Operators, among others. All these are working together to offer packages for the congress participants,” Asiimwe has said.
“In terms of tourism, which is the core of our Partner (UTB) and a priority area of development for the Government of Uganda, ICPAU believes that a partnership with UTB to host the ACOA 2017 is an opportunity to showcase the country’s tourism potential. As a public interest organization, it is our responsibility as ICPAU, to facilitate efforts of promoting the Pearl of Africa,” says Protazio Begumisa, President ICPAU.
The partnership between the ICPAU and UTB is to promote our country Uganda to all delegates expected to attend the 4th Africa Congress of Accountants (ACOA), which is to be held at Speke Resort Munyonyo from 2-5 May 2017.
UTB is supporting the Congress by:
a. Facilitating media coverage and publicity for the congress, reserving media publicity slots for pre-congress publicity, printing of banners for congress publicity and providing pre-congress publicity on all UTB online platforms.
b. Coordinating with the Uganda Tourism Association (and related associations) to provide subsidised services to the congress participants
c. Production and distribution of Uganda’s tourism information, including tour maps for congress participants.
ACOA is an international event held every after two years, that brings together professional accountants and business leaders from the African continent and beyond. The theme for this year’s Congress is “Accountancy & Accountability: Transforming Africa’s Economies”.
Participants will include thought leaders comprising of chief executives, business executives, accounting and financial professionals, tax experts, investment experts, consultants, policy and standards’ setters, representatives of Professional Accountancy Organisations.
Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, the Immediate Past Chairperson of the African Union Commission will deliver a keynote address at the congress. Some of the other speakers include, Ms. Rachel Grimes, President, International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), Ms. Asmaa Resmouki, President, Pan African Federation of Accountants (PAFA), Prof. P.L.O Lumumba, Director and Chief Executive Officer, Kenya School of Law, among others.
As a pan African event, ACOA brings together accountants from the African continent. The expected Chief Guest is H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the President of the Republic of Uganda. H.E. Museveni being a strong believer and promoter of Pan Africanism is actually hosting the stewards of Africa’s resources and the message on developing Africa will be appropriate.
ACOA provides an opportunity of boosting networking, international trade, trade in services, partnerships and so many other components of development to all partnering organisations.
In terms of tourism, which is the core of our partner (UTB) and a priority area of development for the Government of Uganda, ICPAU believes that a partnership with UTB to host the ACOA 2017 is an opportunity to showcase the country’s tourism potential. As a public interest organization, it is our responsibility as ICPAU, to facilitate efforts of promoting the Pearl of Africa.
For your information, the Pan African Federation of Accountants (PAFA) is the regional body whose aim is to represent African professional accountants with one and louder voice, particularly in relating with International Federation of Accountants (IFAC).
The Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda (ICPAU) is a national professional accountancy organization, established in 1992 by an Act of Parliament, to regulate and maintain the standard of accountancy in Uganda; and to prescribe and regulate the conduct of accountants and practicing accountants in Uganda. ICPAU is dedicated to serving in public interest by strengthening the profession and contributing to the growth and development of Uganda’s economy.
The congress is supported by other partners who include the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Bank of Uganda, RwandAir, South African Airways, Stanbic Bank among others.
I take this opportunity to call upon other partners to come on board and support us in hosting this prestigious event.
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