Uganda has been selected to host the 19th World Congress on Environmental Health (WCEH 2028), a flagship global congress convening environmental health professionals, researchers, academics, and policy makers from around the world.
The bid was submitted by the Environmental Health Workers Association of Uganda (EHWAU) in collaboration with Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), with support from the Ministry of Health and Makerere School of Public Health.
The International Federation of Environmental Health (IFEH), the organising body, confirmed Uganda as the host nation for the congress scheduled to be held in Kampala in 2028.
The WCEH is held biennially and serves as a global platform to address critical public health challenges including climate change and environmental risks, food safety and sanitation, urban health and sustainability, and the strengthening of public health systems.
According to a statement issued by the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), the 2028 edition is expected to attract 1,500 delegates over five days, generating an estimated direct economic impact of UGX 9.68 billion for Uganda.
“Hosting the congress presents significant opportunities across Uganda’s private sector. Hoteliers in Kampala stand to benefit from accommodating 1,500 delegates for the duration of the event, while airlines, airport transfer services, and car hire operators will support delegate movement throughout the country,” UTB notes.
Over the 5 days, Professional Conference Organisers (PCOs) will have the opportunity to demonstrate Uganda’s capacity to deliver world-class international events and UTB further encourages Destination Management Companies and tour operators to develop curated pre- and post-conference tourism packages to extend delegate stays and maximise tourism revenue.
Uganda Tourism Board CEO Juliana Kagwa welcomed the announcement saying, “Winning this bid is a testament to Uganda’s growing stature as a premier meetings and conventions destination. The WCEH 2028 will not only bring global expertise to our shores but will catalyse investment in our hospitality, transport, and tourism sectors, while positioning Uganda as a hub for international knowledge exchange.”
MICE Progress
The Uganda Convention Bureau, established within UTB to grow the country’s share of international meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) business, coordinated the bid process.
This win, UTB says, reinforces Uganda’s MICE strategy and builds on the country’s strong performance in recent years.
In 2024, Uganda welcomed approximately 1.37 million international visitors, a 7.7 per cent increase from 2023 with international tourism receipts reaching a record US$1.28 billion, contributing about 16 per cent of total exports.
Environmental Health Workers Association of Uganda (EHWAU) and Uganda Convention Bureau (UCB) will now advance planning for the congress in collaboration with IFEH, the Ministry of Health, and Makerere School of Public Health.
In 2019, Uganda was ranked the sixth most popular destination in Africa for hosting international conferences and events by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), which represents the world’s leading association for the global meetings, conference and events industry.
With the operationalization of a national MICE strategy (2025-2030) aiming to attract over $250 million into the economy, coupled with the formation of the Uganda Association of Conference and Incentive Industry (UACCI) to uphold international standards, Uganda is poised for substantial growth in the MICE sector.