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President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and the European Union (EU) Commissioner, Mr. Virginijus Sinkevičius, have launched the new EU Forestry programme which will see Uganda benefit from the extensive experience of the EU in the forestry sector. The launch took place on Tuesday (April 9th) at State House Entebbe.  

“The European Union is making available a new grant financing of EUR 40 million (sh167 billion) to Uganda to tackle the root causes of deforestation while promoting reforestation and sustainable economic development,” said Mr. Sinkevičius who is the EU Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries.  

European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevicius (2nd L) and his delegation during a meeting with President Museveni at State House Entebbe on Tuesday. (PPU Photo)

He noted that the grant comes as a milestone that demonstrates common aspirations in achieving the European Green Deal objectives and the Global Gateway - the EU’s sustainable connectivity strategy.  

“This includes enhancing the role of forests in the bioeconomy and nurturing our trade flows of wood material,” he added, according to a release from State House.

Appreciating the EU support for the environment, Museveni noted that it is great to protect the ecosystem including national parks and forest reserves.  He added that the wetlands should be included in their conservation plans.

President Museveni meeting with European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevicius, and his delegation at State House Entebbe on Tuesday. (PPU Photo)

Both the EU and Government of Uganda have laid the groundwork for commercial forestry in Uganda, particularly in the last 15years, through which the two have accumulated collective experiences and efforts to identify and implement inclusive solutions that strike a balance between different land uses, reduce deforestation, forest degradation and unsustainable conversion of natural ecosystems.

Commissioner Sinkevičius congratulated Uganda for being among the first five countries in the world to sign a Forest Partnership Agreement with the European Union at the COP-27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, where President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen ratified the Memorandum of Understanding on November 8, 2022.  

President Museveni signs on the Uganda-EU partnering for forests in Uganda during a meeting at State House Entebbe on Tuesday. (PPU Photo)

President Museveni looks on as European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevicius signs on the Uganda-EU partnering for forests in Uganda during a meeting at State House Entebbe. (PPU photo)

Following that signing, Uganda successfully developed and validated a Forest Partnership roadmap on June 29, 2023, within the set six months as committed globally.

The new Forest programme will work through the following three key areas:

-Increasing inclusive investments and decent job opportunities for women and men in sustainable forestry and forest-based value chain

-To increase forest cover by both decreasing deforestation & forest degradation and promoting forest restoration and community support to preservation efforts.

-Enhance effectiveness of forest resources governance, protection and management.

The Government of Uganda and the EU enjoy a long-standing collaboration in natural resources management (forestry, water, climate change) for over 30 years but most recently in the past 15 years this collaboration has mainly been in the field of commercial forestry.

During the meeting at State House, the Minister of State for Environment, Beatrice Anywar thanked the President for his continuous support to the water and environment sector.

She noted that the implementation of the forest partnership will contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 22% by 2030 and increasing forest cover of up to 21% by 2030, among other benefits.

Other Dignitaries at the meeting included the Minister of Finance, Matia Kasaija, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Okello Oryem.