Malac retires from diplomatic duties after 39 years

Jan 23, 2020

Malac, who has been in Uganda for the last four years, is leaving Uganda this week following the expiry of her tenure.

DIPLOMACY

Deborah Malac, the outgoing US ambassador to Uganda, is not only leaving Uganda but is also retiring from the US diplomatic service after 39 years of public service.

She made the revelation recently at a dinner event in Kampala organised by the Ministry of health to honor her contribution to the health sector.

"I am not just leaving Uganda at the end of my assignment but I am retiring from diplomatic service after almost 39 years of public service. It is time for me to go and do something else but I can assure you that I will continue to be watching what is in Uganda," she said.

Malac, who has been in Uganda for the last four years, is leaving Uganda this week following the expiry of her tenure.

In her farewell speech to the ministry officials led by the Minister, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, Malac said she does not have immediate plans on what to do during retirement but is looking forward to spending time with her grandchild and 91-year-old mother.

She said she is also considering coming back to Uganda in the future as a tourist.

"I have enjoyed and appreciated my time here in Uganda in many ways," she stated, saying she has spent much of her professional life serving in various parts of Africa including Central, Western and Southern Africa.

She said she had never dreamt of serving in East Africa until in 2005 when her bosses at the African bureau in the state department on agricultural trade issues made her the deputy director East Africa.

She said though she was skeptical at the beginning, she is glad they pushed her to the Eastern part of Africa.

"I am glad they pushed me to move in this direction because I can't think of another place I would rather end my career than having served as a US ambassador to Uganda," she said.

At the dinner, Malac was given several gifts by the Ministry of Health including a handwoven bag and basket, a painting and African fabric.

In her remarks, Aceng applauded Malac for the strong partnership and coordination she has created between the US mission in Uganda and the ministry, noting that before, there was a wide gap between the two.

She also recognised her involvement in health programs and supporting the fight against emerging and re-emerging diseases like Ebola, and her support to the development of research on new disease outbreaks.

"We appreciate you for recognising the importance of research to inform policy. You have supported Uganda Virus Research Institute and National Institute of Public Health to do a lot of research in all these alerts that we see. We have had wonderful information that we are now using to develop our health sector development plan and the NDP III," she said.

 However, she noted that there is still need to address the issue of drug theft in the country through medicine accountability to the beneficiaries.

"We can track these medicines to the facilities but we need to track it to the beneficiary and to ensure that the theft that is ongoing in medicines is completely brought under control and the people of Uganda can benefit from what government and partners are giving them," she said.

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