frican Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) has given a grant of Shs3.6 billion to the Economic Policy Research Centre for the strengthening of research and policy formulation.

Speaking at the grant signing ceremony on Monday in Kampala, Dr Frannie Leuatier, the ACBF executive secretary said the primary role of the grant is to strengthen effective national policy formulation and development in Uganda.

She said as the continent faces new climate change, food security and post election challenges, policy units-have the role of 'red flagging' potential for Africa in tackling these challenges.

According to Dr Leuatier, ACBF has for the last 20 years believed in these policy units, therefore they should foster development with their strategic roles.

The grant, which marks the fourth phase of ACBF's assistance to EPRC, will focus on providing technical support to the government and other stakeholders in the policy making, implementation and monitoring processes.

This is expected to strengthen EPRC's institutional capacity to conduct policy-oriented economic research, policy analysis and capacity building programmes.

Africa's economic performance, since the mid-1990s, has raised hopes of a possible turnaround, compared to the stagnation of the previous two decades.

Mr Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebile, the Bank of Uganda governor said EPRC should keep on working hard such that its work (research) can justify the funding its is receiving.

He called on the private sector to work closely with the EPRC in terms of policy formulation to boost private sector led growth.

He said much as EPRC remains an important institution for policy formulation in the country there is intense pressure for the creation of more resources to carryout research studies.

Dr. Sarah Ssenyana, the executive director of EPRC, said the Centre's success track record illustrates the critical role played by the institution in Uganda's policy making and the economic development process.