Uganda to host African Union humanitarian agency
The development was announced on Tuesday (August 4) by ICT and National Guidance Minister Kasule Lumumba during a media briefing at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala. She was speaking at an event to communicate the decisions of Cabinet, which sat on Monday.
ICT and National Guidance Minister Kasule Lumumba. (Credit: Uganda Media Centre)_
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Uganda has secured the right to host the African Union's humanitarian agency, marking a significant diplomatic milestone expected to strengthen the country's standing in continental affairs and humanitarian coordination.
The development was announced on Tuesday (August 4) by ICT and National Guidance Minister Kasule Lumumba during a media briefing at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala. She was speaking at an event to communicate the decisions of Cabinet, which sat on Monday.
Uganda won the bid during the 45th Ordinary Session of the African Union Executive Council, comprising ministers of foreign affairs from member states, held in Accra, Ghana, from July 18 to 19, 2024.
The African Humanitarian Agency is a specialised technical agency of the African Union mandated to coordinate humanitarian response efforts across the continent in collaboration with affected member states.
An independent evaluation team from the African Union Commission conducted assessment missions to the four countries in May 2024 to determine their suitability. Uganda's assessment took place from May 23 to 27.
According to the evaluation report, Uganda emerged as the best-performing candidate with a score of 85.66%, ahead of Equatorial Guinea (76.70%), Kenya (76.13%) and Nigeria (74.50%).
Based on the findings, the Executive Council endorsed the report and awarded Uganda the right to host the agency.
She described the achievement as historic.
"This is the first African Union agency to be hosted by Uganda since the country joined the continental body when it was still known as the Organisation of African Unity (OAU)," she said.
"Uganda, being the largest refugee-hosting country in Africa, with established legal and institutional frameworks for managing forcibly displaced persons and extensive experience in humanitarian action, made a compelling case to African Union member states," she said.
She also credited the victory to the coordinated efforts of Uganda's diplomatic mission in Addis Ababa and the goodwill enjoyed by Uganda among African Union member states.
The process of operationalising the agency has already commenced, with the African Union approving funding in the 2025/2026 financial year to recruit its top management.
In a related development, Uganda also secured the election of High Court judge Justice Duncan Gaswaga to the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights for a six-year term. He was elected with the support of 46 member states eligible to vote during the Executive Council session.
Uganda's delegation to the session comprised Amb. Amuge Otengo, Justice Duncan Gaswaga, counsellor Michael Wamai and First Secretary Daphine Teddy Nyanduri of the Ugandan Embassy in Addis Ababa.