Uganda says to fast-track climate action with new finance strategies

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Uganda has committed to accelerating climate action across key sectors following the launch of new climate finance strategies and the publication of the Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR).

The announcement was made during the Sixth East African Region Climate Finance Directors’ Meeting, which opened on September 26, 2025, at Lake Victoria Serena Hotel in Kigo.

The five-day meeting brought together regional climate finance directors, development partners and experts from across the African continent and beyond to deliberate on innovative financing solutions that would help countries meet their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.

Finance minister Matia Kasaija stressed the urgency for bold action, pointing out that climate change remains one of the greatest challenges threatening Africa’s development agenda.

“As a continent, we are, therefore, charged up to pursue intentional, bold and accelerated climate action in all possible sectors, including renewable energy, critical minerals, and climate-smart agriculture, among others. As a country, Uganda has just recently launched a suite of climate finance strategies alongside the Country Climate and Development Report. We are now moving from ambition to action,” Kasaija said.

The minister emphasised that bridging the climate finance gap will require regional and continental co-ordination, especially as African countries grapple with increasing climate-induced shocks that undermine food security, damage infrastructure, and slow economic growth.

Some of the countries that participated included Bangladesh, Fiji, Jamaica, Mauritius, Rwanda, Somalia, and Uganda.

Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Matia Kasaija (Centre seated) together regional climate finance directors, development partners, and experts from across the African continent and beyond take a group picture during the Sixth East African Region Climate Finance Directors’ Meeting held at Lake Victoria Serena Hotel in Kigo from 22-26 September 2025. (PHOTO BY COLLEB MUGUME)

Resource scaleup

The regional meeting, held under the theme: Leveraging Innovative Climate Governance Approaches For Accelerated Climate Finance Mobilisation, aligned with global efforts to scale up resources for climate resilience.

It recalled commitments made at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), which urged the doubling of finance for developing countries to support adaptation and resilience-building.

Uganda’s newly launched strategies, according to officials, are designed to unlock both domestic and international climate finance. They will prioritise investments in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and climate resilience projects that address the country’s most pressing vulnerabilities. The approaches also aim to create a conducive environment for private sector participation in climate finance while ensuring that international commitments translate into tangible local action.

One of the major objectives of the Kampala meeting was to develop a joint framework for East African countries to mobilise and manage climate finance effectively. Delegates underscored the importance of tapping into a mix of financial channels, including public resources, private investment, multilateral development banks, and innovative mechanisms such as green bonds and international carbon markets.

Eng. Dr Pablo Martinez, the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) country representative for Uganda, Angola and Zambia, lauded the role of development partners in strengthening African countries’ readiness for climate finance. He singled out the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) of the United Kingdom and the European Union (EU) for their support through the Taskforce on Access to Climate Finance Countries.

“We reaffirm our commitment to supporting our existing members like Rwanda, Uganda and Zambia to mobilise climate finance; emphasising our continued interest in climate finance units, international carbon markets, national financial vehicles, green bonds and other innovative instruments,” Martinez said.

He added that GGGI’s footprint in East Africa continues to expand, with a new office recently opened in Kenya and program growth in Zambia, where the organisation is supporting the establishment of a Climate Finance Unit and a Climate Change Fund.

The Global Green Growth Institute is a treaty-based, intergovernmental organisation dedicated to promoting sustainable economic growth in developing and emerging economies. It has been working closely with governments in Africa and elsewhere to unlock climate finance and support the transition to green economies.

The Taskforce on Access to Climate Finance is piloting innovative approaches through pioneer country trials in Bangladesh, Fiji, Jamaica, Mauritius, Rwanda, Somalia and Uganda. These trials aim to streamline climate finance access and strengthen institutional frameworks in developing nations.

Climate target revision

Meanwhile, several East African Community (EAC) partner states are in the process of revising their climate action targets. The updates are expected to raise ambition under their forthcoming NDCs 3.0. Kenya has already submitted its updated NDC, setting an example for the region. However, implementing these more ambitious commitments will demand expanded access to climate finance at national, regional, and international levels.

Officials noted that countries will need to mobilise resources through both public and private channels, while also leveraging support from multilateral development banks and alternative financing structures.

The East Africa climate finance director-level meetings, which are held biannually, serve as a platform for peer exchange and dialogue on climate finance issues. They provide an opportunity for member states to share lessons, explore new instruments, and align their strategies with global climate goals.

The sixth edition of the meeting drew lessons from previous gatherings and reaffirmed its alignment with the Paris Agreement objectives and the national climate targets of participating countries. Over five days of intensive sessions, participants engaged in discussions on innovative governance models, resource mobilisation strategies, and mechanisms to strengthen regional cooperation.

With climate change continuing to exert pressure on African economies, Uganda’s move to fast-track climate finance strategies marks a step toward safeguarding its development trajectory. By combining national initiatives with regional cooperation, the country aims to transform commitments into action, setting a precedent for other East African nations.

As the meeting concluded, there was renewed optimism that East Africa could scale up its climate finance efforts, strengthen resilience, and accelerate the green transition, provided the momentum from Kampala translates into practical action on the ground.