South Africa: The Republic of Uganda, represented by the First Deputy Prime Minister, Rebecca Kadaga Alitwala, on behalf of Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the President of the Republic of Uganda, signed a Forestry Partnership with the European Union on 8th November 2022.
Since that time, a roadmap has been drawn, and this partnership will be implemented through a forestry programme to which the E.U. has committed an initial investment of EUR40m.
The Deputy Director for International Partnerships at the European Commission, Madam Myrian Ferran, accompanied by Ambassador Jan Sadek, Head of European Union Delegation to Uganda and Ms Caroline Adriansen, the Head of Cooperation, European Union Delegation in Uganda, called on the Sam Cheptoris the Minister of Water and Environment to launch the EUR40m Forestry Programme. This was launched on 31st March 2023 at the Ministry Headquarters in Luzira.
This Forest programme will deepen cooperation in the field of protection, restoration and sustainable use of forests aimed at enhancing the role of Uganda’s forests and forest resources in sustainable national development and addressing global challenges related to climate change and loss of biodiversity.
This will be achieved through a holistic and integrated approach to forests based on their multiple functions, including:
1. Increase the area of protected, restored and sustainably managed forests to enable Uganda to attain the nationally determined contribution target of 21% tree cover by 2030.
2. Reduce the annual rate of deforestation.
3. Facilitate trade in legal and sustainable wood products based on value addition and not raw products.
4. Increase the number of forest related descent jobs as enshrined in NDP111.
5. Enhance biodiversity conservation management and sustainable utilization and benefit sharing based on Uganda National Biodiversity Strategy and Action plan.
During this launch, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Water and Environment, Alfred Okot Okidi, Forestry Sector Support Department Staff led by the Ag. Asst Commissioner Policy and Development Issa Katwesige and the Media were present.