Country Director (Uganda), U.S.- Africa Trade Commission.
Ruth Kangave is an accomplished Trade specialist with an academic background in international trade policy and law and urban planning. For 0ver 15 years she has worked as an expert in public policy development, trade facilitation, gender issues awareness and environment protection projects, driving sustainable growth through strategic leadership in both public and private sector. Her expertise has extended into international equal trade advocacy, agriculture development and MSME development support, enabling her to bridge the gap between technical planning and real-world outcomes.
While working as a public policy specialist in different Government departments and the private sector, she has consistently led initiatives that enhance economic growth, fostering regional trade integration, and empowering local and marginalized communities, with a focus on creating inclusive, resilient and sustainable economic development landscape in Uganda. She has worked with international organisations like Agriculture and Social Entrepreneurship Foundation (ASEF) – Nigeria serving as a trade advisor and online course instructor. She has worked with Equal Trade Alliance- Netherlands as a trade advocate, publishing monthly advocacy materials with the organisation’s partners driving the Africans cause to gain better international trade negotiations.
Additionally, through her work with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and various national trade facilitation projects, she has been enable guide integration of trade opportunities into national development planning frameworks. The unique combination of urban planning with the international trade policy & law expertise, allows her to develop strategies that drive socially economic inclusion development. She is passionate about environment and gender issues. She has worked to empower youth, women and farmers through her mentorship training programs in empowering the private sector especially Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and creating ecosystems that enable competitive innovation, business development, job creation, and sustainable economic growth.
She is committed to fostering environments that create economically yielding entrepreneurship, trade and investment creation as a process for sustainable economic development through capacity building programs she has been part of with different departments and organisations hence promoting policy awareness, market access, investment attraction, infrastructure development, and financial inclusion, ensuring that local businesses are positioned to compete in global markets.
Her leadership philosophy is grounded in integrity, mentorship, and continuous improvement. She focuses on optimizing processes, cultivating strong relationships, and nurturing innovation, ensuring that both individuals and organizations reach their full potential. She is driven by the desire to create lasting, positive impact on communities and economies.