BUSIA - Uganda and Kenya have taken a significant step toward deepening regional collaboration on climate adaptation and urban resilience, concluding a three-day joint meeting in Busia aimed at confronting shared environmental and disaster risks in their cross-border municipalities.
Held from June 3 to 5, 2025, the Uganda-Kenya Joint Meeting on Urban Resilience marked the first formal bilateral effort of its kind between the two East African neighbours.
The forum was supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and funded by the Republic of Korea, the Kingdom of Luxembourg, and the Government of Denmark.
Uganda's delegation included a multi-sectoral team comprising officials from the Uganda High Commission in Nairobi, several national ministries, and local government leaders from Busia Municipality. Kenya was represented by technical and political officials, including Mr. Joel Wamalwa, Chief Executive Officer of the Lake Victoria North Water Works Development Agency.
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Ambassador Eunice Kigenyi, Uganda's Deputy Head of Mission in Nairobi, and Mr. Wamalwa co-chaired the sessions.
Discussions centred on the growing vulnerabilities of border towns like Busia, which face mounting pressures from rapid urbanisation, climate-related hazards, and cross-border emergencies. The delegates agreed to prioritise joint solutions that strengthen early warning systems, enhance water and sanitation infrastructure, and build climate-resilient public services.
The meeting was widely hailed as a breakthrough in regional environmental diplomacy and practical cooperation. Stakeholders described it as a model for how countries sharing ecosystems and urban corridors can respond to increasingly transboundary threats.
"Urban resilience is no longer a national issue alone," said one delegate. "It's a shared concern that demands shared solutions."
The Busia meeting also aimed to align local action with global climate frameworks, including the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Organisers hope the momentum generated will catalyse further bilateral initiatives and investments in green infrastructure, emergency response capacity, and policy harmonisation.
The two countries are expected to develop a joint action plan in the coming months to translate the meeting's outcomes into concrete projects, beginning with pilot initiatives in Busia.
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