Uganda Gets Shs350bn for Refugees, Climate Change Programs From Denmark

13 June 2024
Nile Post (Kampala)
By Kenneth Kazibwe

Uganda is set to receive shs350 billion (USD 95 million) from Denmark for climate change, refugee programs and civic space support.

The money will help support strengthening democratic values, protection of human rights and civic space and promotion of sustainable solutions for refugees and combating climate change.

Programs under these key areas will be implemented through the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) over the next five years according to Danish Ambassador Signe Winding Albjerg.

The envoy told journalists on Wednesday that the bulk of this fund (57%) will go towards supporting refugee response in Uganda.

"We want to see how we can make refugees response more sustainable. We understand that the refugees and the host communities are under a lot of pressure, and we are debating what kind of solutions can build the resilience of the communities and help support the continued hosting of the refugees," she said.

The Ambassador was speaking at the official launch of the Uganda-Denmark Bilateral Development Program (2024 - 2028) at her residence in Kololo.

Speaking at the event, Ropani Sauda from the Partners in Development and Center for Holistic Transformation (PICOT) rooted for the inclusion of refugees in the national development plan.

"The refugee crisis is no longer a separate issue; it needs to be included in the planning at central and local government levels," she said.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Albjerg revealed that more funding will be channeled towards promoting transparency in Uganda.

"The Danish Government will support local CSOs involved in promoting the use of digital tools to ensure accountability, such as the use of Twitter Spaces to expose potholes and corruption," she said.

Finally, the funds will support Climate Change and Green Transition, with a focus on agribusiness and climate-smart agriculture, as well as mobilising private sector capital for climate change adaptation.

Speaking at the event, John Mulimba, the State Minister for Foreign Affairs commended the Kingdom of Denmark for the support extended to Uganda.

"I thank the Kingdom of Denmark as one of our major development partners for the support toward achieving our objectives. Over the years we have cooperated on many development projects and programs including research, trade and promotion of good governance," the minister remarked.

The event also featured a replica of the Folkemødet, or the "The People's Meeting" a Danish annual event where government officials get to meet and interact with the citizenry on a wide range of issues

Read the original article on Nile Post.

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