Our work

See how our integrated signature solutions – powered by digitalization, innovation and development financing – are accelerating impact and scale in Uganda.

Our current programme offer is articulated in the UNDP Uganda Country Programme Document (2021-2025) which outlines our contribution to national development results and serves as the primary unit of accountability to the Executive Board for alignment of results and the resources given to the programme at country level.

It focuses on three pillars of Inclusive and Sustainable Growth; Nature, Climate, Energy and Resilience; and Governance and Security; as well as the two enablers of Digitalization, Innovation and Smart Cities, and SDG Integration and Acceleration and the Youth 4 Development flagship programme.

Inclusive and Sustainable Growth

Under this offer, UNDP promotes structural transformation in view of the opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), advances competitiveness in the manufacturing sector while building robust and integrated value chains in the agriculture, tourism and mining sectors with a focus on integrating local economic actors, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), youth, women, people with disabilities, and refugees and other vulnerable groups.

Emphasis is also placed on advocating for sustainable and inclusive business models, promoting financial inclusion, incentivizing   innovation    and   promoting    gender   equality, while ensuring lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic strengthen national resilience to business shocks. Significant investment is also being made in youth-led businesses and entrepreneurship as a sustainable response to unemployment through accelerating the industrialization agenda within an era of an emerging digital economy.

These interventions, paired with the enhancement of local government capacity and e-governance systems, are envisaged to facilitate creation of more productive and inclusive jobs, strengthening the position of the country within regional and global value chains.

Nature, Climate, Energy and Resilience

UNDP is working to strengthen sustainable land management and restoration of degraded forest and wetland ecosystems. Integral to these efforts is the continued restoration of ecosystems in refugee settlements and host communities, institutional capacity development in natural resource governance, and deeper citizen participation in environmental management and community resilience.

Promoting access to affordable renewable energy options in underserved rural and urban communities is also a key priority. UNDP will continue to build on its climate promise through scaling up access to sustainable energy solutions, supporting innovative and inclusive financing mechanisms for low carbon technologies and implementation of the country’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) in line with the Paris Agreement.

Resilience to climate and disaster risks will be strengthened by   enhancing    access   and   use   of   climate   information, products and services for early warning and early action. Further, promoting nature-based solutions and technologies, strengthening national, district and local level contingency planning, and integrating resilience building in development plans and budgets will be deepened to ensure greater multi- sector   coordination.  Given their power   and   influence   in fostering social cohesion   and behavioral   change, we will deepen collaboration and strengthen capacities of cultural and religious institutions to govern natural resources.

Governance and Peace

As a backbone for delivery on all priorities, UNDP will strengthen the governance infrastructure in the public and private sectors   whose functions are catalytic to the attainment of national developmentaspirations.

Focus will be on building and strengthening the governance infrastructure in the public and private sectors, institutionalizing e-governance systems in the public sector at national and sub national levels, while facilitating integration and effective delivery of services within the private sector.

We will continue strengthening the effectiveness/ functioning of key state institutions including Parliament, judicial institutions, and anti- corruption agencies in order to promote accountability and civic engagement while ensuring effective participation of youth and women in governance processes.  Integral to this, is supporting the electoral cycle for transparent, inclusive and peaceful elections, and promoting electoral reforms in the post-election period.

The coordinating function of Government will also be strengthened to enhance planning, budgeting, advocacy, monitoring and reporting on the SDGs. Emphasis will be on advancing public-sector reforms to strengthen institutional coherence for effective coordination, transparency and accountability at local and national levels.

In partnership with UNDP country offices, UN organizations, development partners and civil society, cross-border programming will be conducted to address   regional governance   challenges   including prevention of violent extremism and natural resource conflict.

Youth 4 Development Programme

Uganda has a young population with 78% aged 30 years and below and more than one million young people entering the job market annually. Leveraging the potential of this youthful segment of Uganda’s population is crucial for the social economic transformation Uganda aspires to attain by 2040.

UNDP is committed to addressing the youth unemployment challenge through equipping youth with vocational skills, increasing the competitiveness of youth within the labour market, building capacities of national institutions to mainstream youth employment, and supporting youth-led enterprises to pilot innovative ideas.

UNDP is currently   undertaking several   initiatives designed to empower the youth of Uganda, with skilling, innovation   and   entrepreneurship serving as catalysts to enable UNDP’s broader development agenda   in Uganda   including   the   eradication of poverty, promotion of sustainable development, creation   of opportunities for empowerment, and achievement of the 2030 Agenda and its central mission to leave no one behind.

Digitalization, Innovation and Smart Cities

One of the   fundamental enablers   of UNDP’s country programme for Uganda (2021-2025), the Digitalization, Innovation and Smart Cities Programme   will accelerate digital transformation by promoting digital literacy and skills development, providing catalytic support   within priority public services, and ensuring evidence-based strengthening of the enabling environment for digital transformation.

The programme will also strengthen the enabling environment for innovation and business startups, inform the establishment of a regional centre of excellence for innovation, and provide catalytic support for innovation in priority production sectors including agriculture, sustainable energy, health, manufacturing, and ICT. Meanwhile, business sector development remains a priority through the promotion of business growth and production for local and regional markets, while integrating digital ecosystems and connecting micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and institutional service providers to digital platforms.

SDG Integration and Acceleration

UNDP supports the integration of the 17 Sustainable Development   Goals (SDGs) into   national   development planning and implementation through analysis of the NDP III and Programme Implementation Action Plans (PIAPs), supporting government capacity building, and alignment of planning and budget frameworks at national and sub- national levels.

The SDG Integration and Acceleration Programme will also develop and implement an Integrated National Financing Framework (INFF) and promote   adoption of innovative financing mechanisms in selected SDG accelerator areas. Meanwhile, UNDP will support the improvement of SDG data, monitoring and evaluation systems with a view to reduce gaps in implementation and monitoring, while facilitating research, learning and knowledge sharing on SDGs to inform policy and programme interventions.

Here is a map of our projects