Inclusive and Sustainable Growth

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, 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.

Milestones from this programme include:

- 16,000 jobs and livelihood opportunities created through youth-led businesses.
- 150,000 farmers connected through grantee Akellobanker.
- 1,000 households served through grantee Yo-Waste.
- 500 youth trained through grantee Texfad.
- 1,000 MSMEs trained in business skills.

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. 

Milestones from this programme include:

- 49,000 hectares of wetlands restored across Uganda.
- 4,000 households in wetlands areas benefited from alternative livelihoods.
- 135 institutions supported with nature and climate planning.
- 2,500 natural resource maps generated by the National Environment Management Authority.

- 26 Health Center IVs solarized to allow for undisrupted power supply.
- 700,000 people able to access improved healthcare.
- 226 solar lighting points installed at Owinio Market in Kampala.
- 600,000 market vendors enabled to enhance business operations.

Governance, Peace and Security

UNDP is strengthening governance infrastructure in public and private sectors whose functions are catalytic to the attainment of national development aspirations. Focus is on building and strengthening the governance infrastructure, 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.

Efforts are being made to strengthen effectiveness of key state institutions including Parliament, judicial institutions, and anti-corruption agencies 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.

UNDP also participates in the Spotlight Initiative to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls by promoting laws and policies to prevent violence; strengthening national government and regional institutions; promoting gender-equitable social norms, attitudes and behaviours; and making high-quality essential services available to survivors of violence.

Milestones from this programme include:

- 3 community markets established in Adjumani, Lamwo and Obongi.
- 10,137 refugees and host community members participated in cash-for-work activities.
- 1,873 acres of woodlots and 426 acres of agricultural land established.
- 1,076 refugees and host community members engaged in sesame production.

- 6,464 gender-based violence (GBV) actors engaged in GBV prevention training
- 2,444 people reached through GBV dialogues among refugees and host communities.
- 4,080 participants reached through GBV dialogues in Uganda Management Institute programs.
- 2,367 GBV survivors accessed legal aid services.

Digitalization, Innovation and Smart Cities

UNDP 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 start-ups, 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 MSMEs and institutional service providers to digital platforms.

Milestones from this programme include:

- UNDP Africa Timbuktoo UniPod established at Makerere University.
- Redesign and refurbishment of National ICT Innovation Hub.
- Design and implementation of Uganda's Digital Transformation Roadmap 2023-2027.

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 National Development Plan (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.

Youth 4 Development

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 ongoing 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.

Learn more about UNDP and partner milestones in Uganda through the UNDP Uganda Annual Report 2023 and UNDP Uganda Profile.