Uganda set to complete national climate framework by year-end

Uganda is on course to finalise its National Framework for Weather and Climate Services (NFWCS) by the end of 2025, in what experts describe as a pivotal milestone in the country’s climate resilience strategy and a game-changer for decision-making across sectors.

This commitment was reaffirmed during a technical review and validation workshop held on June 23, 2025, at Hotel Africana in Kampala, where stakeholders, development partners, and government institutions convened to scrutinise and refine the country’s draft climate framework.

Held under the theme “Towards a Unified Climate Services Framework for Uganda and the Region”, the workshop marked the third phase in the development of the Regional Framework for Climate Services (RFCS), and simultaneously validated Uganda’s NFWCS Strategic and Action Plan—both of which are crucial instruments aimed at transforming how climate data is produced, shared, and applied in agriculture, water, health, disaster risk reduction, and energy.

“By the end of this year, we shall have the framework for Uganda completed,” announced Calistus Wachana, the climate services user engagement expert at the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC).

He added, “It is vital that regional stakeholders like Uganda take leadership in designing frameworks that address specific national and regional needs.”

Aligning national priorities with regional ambitions

Supported by ICPAC under the ClimSA project and coordinated by Uganda’s Ministry of Water and Environment (MoWE), the framework is tailored to address Uganda’s unique climate vulnerabilities, ranging from prolonged droughts and flash floods to shifting rainfall patterns that threaten food security and livelihoods.

Milton Waiswa, representing the permanent secretary of MoWE, emphasised the framework’s strategic importance in bolstering Uganda’s capacity to respond to climate shocks:

“This process is a cornerstone in our national agenda to safeguard communities. The framework, once validated and launched, will be central to achieving climate-informed development,” he noted.

Deus Amanya, commissioner in the Department of Meteorological Services at MoWE, said the framework will enhance institutional coordination and promote public-private partnerships in the climate services ecosystem.

Calistus Wachana from the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre speaks during the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) technical review and validation workshop at Hotel Africana on June 23rd 2025. (Credit: Nicholas Oneal)

Voices from the region and beyond

Keynote speakers across the climate and development space lauded Uganda’s progress as a model for other countries in the Greater Horn of Africa.

Edith Namutebi, acting head of regional peace and security at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, called for a practical, inclusive, and responsive framework:

“Uganda continues to face extreme weather events that challenge our development goals. This workshop offers a rare opportunity to integrate stakeholder insights and develop a system that delivers climate information that is not only accurate, but also actionable,” she said.

Representing the World Food Programme (WFP), Tiina Honkanen, head of the social protection programme, emphasised the transformative potential of climate services.

“Forecasting, prediction, and early warning are life-saving tools. As WFP, we see this framework as more than a document—it is a strategic asset that will change how we prepare and respond to disasters and climate shocks. Early warning systems (EWS) provide at least a 10-fold return on investment,” Honkanen noted.

She urged stakeholders to fully embrace and utilise climate services as integral to development programming:

“We cannot afford to be reactive. Let’s be proactive—using weather data to save lives and livelihoods. This framework positions Uganda to achieve the UN Secretary-General’s Early Warning for All (EW4All) agenda well before the 2027 deadline,” she emphasised.

Pillars of the framework: science, strategy and sustainability

The NFWCS is structured around the five pillars of the Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS): Climate Services Information Systems, Observations and Monitoring, Research, Modelling and Prediction, User Interface Platforms, and Capacity Development.

Workshop participants from key sectors, including agriculture, energy, health, education, and disaster management, reviewed the final draft of the framework and contributed technical input on governance structures, stakeholder roles, and sustainability mechanisms.

Among the key outcomes expected from the workshop were finalisation of Uganda’s NFWCS Strategy and Action Plan, strengthened institutional coordination, a clearly defined roadmap to official launch and implementation, and increased public-private sector buy-in.

Towards a climate-resilient Uganda 

Experts said Uganda’s approach, emphasising co-production of climate services with users ranging from farmers and planners to disaster managers, signals a shift toward evidence-based decision-making in development planning.

The framework will also help identify shared regional needs, enabling ICPAC and other regional institutions to coordinate efforts with National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs).

Dr Isaiah Tumwikirize the Principal Geophysicist energy ministry remarks on the IGAD technical review and validation workshop at Hotel Africana. (Credit: Nicholas Oneal)

Climate expert Daniel Opwonya, who presented on behalf of the initiative’s consultant, said the objective of the framework is to improve the management of risks and opportunities arising from climate variability and change by incorporating science-based climate information and prediction into planning, policy, and practice.

“The framework is being developed through a consultative and inclusive process,” said Honkanen. “From national institutions to grassroots communities, everyone’s voice matters. This is how we ensure relevance and effectiveness,” she added.

A model for the greater Horn of Africa

The Kampala workshop forms part of broader regional efforts spearheaded by IGAD and the East African Community (EAC) to improve climate service delivery across East Africa.

Uganda’s progress is expected to inform the Regional Framework for Climate Services (RFCS), which seeks to harmonise climate action and improve preparedness across 11 countries: Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.

According to the roadmap, the next steps include endorsement of the framework, donor consultations, and its official launch, setting Uganda and the region on a path toward robust climate adaptation and risk management systems.

“Let us seize this opportunity,” said Wachana, “to forge a path forward that ensures a safer, more resilient, and sustainable future for all Ugandans.”

Uganda’s financial commitment

In the 2025/2026 financial year, the Government of Uganda has allocated sh189.7 billion for disaster management and significantly scaled up its investment in water, sanitation, and environmental protection to sh11.44 trillion, underscoring its commitment to climate resilience and sustainable development.

Several experts noted that Uganda’s move to institutionalise climate action through the National Framework for Weather and Climate Services reflects its readiness to lead by example in the region.