Ambassador Malac inspects US funded projects in Karamoja

The U.S. Ambassador to Uganda Deborah R. Malac has been on a tour of Kaabong and Moroto districts in Karamoja to see firsthand how U.S. Government-funded programs are addressing challenges in the region.

 

The ambassador was in Karamoja for three days from January 30 to February 1, 2017, along with USAID Mission Director Mark Meassick, according to a statement issued from the American embassy.

 

Ambassador Malac met with local government officials and visited USAID activities focused on food security, the environment, economic growth, peace and stability. 

 

Among other things, the Ambassador officiated at the launch of a 36 kilometer road, constructed by USAID's Northern Karamoja Growth, Health, and Governance project and implemented by Mercy Corps.  Constructed over the past two years, the road was built to open economic opportunities for the greenbelt regions of western Kotido and Kaabong, the statement explained.

 

The communities are now able to use this roadway to transport goods to the market and more easily access services. Connecting the towns of Kacheri in Kotido District to Lobalangit in Kaabong District, the road passes 14 villages along its route.

 

Ambassador Malac said, "What used to take six hours to drive along a 110 kilometer track will now take less than one hour!  Farmers and other merchants will not just be saving precious time, they'll also be reaping economic benefits thanks to safer and shorter roads that can move their goods to the market faster and cheaper than ever before."

 

Ambassador Malac also met with several USAID-supported groups including farmers in Karenga and Kamera village; rangers, community scouts, and community development committee members in Kidepo; teachers and tutors at Moroto Teachers College; staff, patients, and peer educators at Moroto Hospital; women and youth leaders in Moroto; and beekeepers in Kamera village.

 

The statement said the meetings provided Malac with a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by the Karamojong and how the U.S. Government is addressing those challenges.

 

The statement pointed out that the U.S. Government, through USAID, has a long history of working in Karamoja to help improve the lives of its people through a broad range of initiatives. USAID has worked in the area to build infrastructure, preserve the environment, enable farmers and herders to improve their agricultural productivity, and improve market access.  In addition, USAID programs support communities with maternal and child health services, conflict resolution and governance, and, when needed, food assistance.  These efforts help build the healthy, prosperous, and stable future people in Karamoja deserve.