UNDP donates vehicles, motorcycles to Karamoja

KAMPALA - The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Uganda on Tuesday donated three vehicles and 228 motorcycles worth sh750m. The donation to the government of Uganda is meant to aid the development of Karamoja border communities with Kenya in the districts of Amudat, Moroto, Kabong and Kotido.

UNDP donated Toyota Land Cruiser SUV; Toyota Hardbody single-cabin pickup, Toyota Hardbody ambulance and 28 motorcycles. The donations were received by the Minister of Karamoja Affairs Eng. John Byabagambi at a ceremony held at UNDP offices in Nakasero.

Elsie Attafuah, the UNDP Resident Representative in Uganda said the donation is part of UNDP's USD 1 million (about Sh3.7 billion) contribution to the Kenya-Uganda Cross-Border Integrated Programme for Sustainable Peace and Socio-Economic Transformation for the Karamoja Cluster which was launched in September 2019 by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya.

Attafuah said the programme seeks to accord communities on both sides of the border opportunities for better cooperation and peaceful coexistence, bridge isolation gaps to improve their livelihood and socio-economic conditions for sustaining peace and development.

"This seeks to address common challenges the Karamoja cluster faces such as drought and climate change, vulnerabilities such as insecurity, food insecurity and conflicts. It will also bring life to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to the elimination of poverty (SDG 1), the eradication of hunger (SDG 2), gender equality (SDG 5) and the promotion of peace, justice and strong institutions (SDG 16). she said. 

She added that the donation is in line with the UNDP offer for Africa to promote regional integration as well as boost the implementation of Africa's transformative agenda for a stable, inclusive and sustainable regional integration that underscores the need for cross-border programming.

Attafuah also underlined the importance of cross-border programming, saying, "The raging COVID-19 pandemic has just taught us how close and interconnected we are as communities and the need for transboundary coordination of responses to development challenges and how what affects your neighbour equally affects you." She said.

Byabagambi commended UNDP for honouring its obligations under the Cross-Border Integrated Programme for Sustainable Peace and Development.

"This support builds on your earlier funding for the Joint work plan priorities of the two Countries under the MoU signed in 2019 and will enable effective coordination of security operations across the border and ease national coordination of programme activities," he said.

He added that the donation of an ambulance is very timely and will be helpful in the districts of Amudat and Kaabong especially during this period of COVID-19.

The Minister added, "While none of us anticipated COVID-19 during the design of the programme, these ambulances will boost preparedness and response to the pandemic in these districts."