Uganda, European Union, sign Forest partnership agreement at UNFCCC

Uganda: The two nations Republic of Uganda and the European Union, signed a Forests Partnership Agreement at the ongoing United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC); Conference of the Parties (COP27) being held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.

Uganda, European Union, sign Forest partnership agreement at UNFCCC
Uganda, European Union, sign Forest partnership agreement at UNFCCC Image credit: Ministry of Water and Environment

Uganda: The two nations Republic of Uganda and the European Union, signed a Forests Partnership Agreement at the ongoing United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC); Conference of the Parties (COP27) being held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.

Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, the 1st Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of East African Community Affairs, who is also the Head of Uganda’s Delegation at the COP27, signed for Uganda on behalf of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. In contrast, Ms Ursula von der Leyn, the President of the European Commission, signed on behalf of the European Union, as per the information given by the Ministry of Water and Environment,

Information from the Ministry further states, Four other Heads of Government signed the pioneer Forest Partnerships; among them were; the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and Mongolia.

According to the Ministry of Water and Environment that their Partnership, which is long term cooperation, will be implemented through a Forestry Programme and is expected to;

a) 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.

b) Reduce the annual rate of deforestation

c) Increase the number of forest-related decent jobs as enshrined in NDP III.

d) Facilitate trade in legal and sustainable wood products based on value additions and not raw products.

e) Enhance Biodiversity conservation, management and sustainable utilisation and fair benefit sharing based on Uganda National Biodiversity Strategy and Action plan.

The Ministry of Water and Environment also tweeted on their official Twitter account, where they formally informed the viewers about the Partnership Agreement at the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), which is being held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.