KAMPALA- The European Union has committed 48 million Euros towards enhancing forestry management and conservation in the country.
This was announcement by the Ambassador of the European Union to Uganda, His Excellency Jan Sadek during a partnership meeting held at the office of the Prime Minister in Kampala.
The meeting was chaired by the Prime Minister Rt Hon Robinah Nabbanja and was attended by Ministers who included the Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka, the Minister for trade and cooperatives Francis Mwebesa, the Minister for Karamoja Affairs Peter Lokeris and the Minister of State for Energy Hon Okasai Opolot among other technical officials.
Ambassador Sadek expressed appreciation for the political engagement and the long-standing partnership between Uganda and the European Union in the forestry sector.
During the meeting, the European Union Ambassador highlighted the importance of forest preservation as a critical component of global climate change mitigation.
“The EU has committed 40 million Euros to the partnership, with an additional 8 million Euros from Denmark,” Ambassador Sadek said.
Rt Hon Nabbanja underscored the critical message articulated by President Museveni regarding the importance of exporting value-added forest products rather than raw timber and related forest products.
“This vision is essential not only for the sustainability of our forests but also for driving the transformation of Uganda’s economy. The EU, through its ongoing support and collaborative efforts, has made a significant contribution, as a strategic partner, to shaping the future of Uganda’s forestry sector, and we look forward to continuing this partnership in the coming years,” She noted.
The Prime Minister expressed confidence that the continued partnership between Uganda with the European Union and other development partners will unlock the full potential of Uganda’s forest resources.
The Uganda-EU Forest Partnership MoU was signed on November 8th 2022, at the UNFCCC CoP 27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, and further reinforced through the Roadmap signed on June 29th 2023, have committed to improving governance and promoting sustainable use and management of our forest resources.
With the 40 million Euros, the EU grant partnership plays a crucial role in supporting projects such as forest restoration, anti-trafficking of forest products and the development of both timber and non-timber value chains.
