Uganda gets sh12.3b to protect tourism resources

The World Bank and the embassy of Sweden have signed a partnership agreement providing sh12.3b to support the Government effectively manage natural and tourism resources sustainably.

This will include activities aimed at enhancing sustainable livelihoods of communities and at combating effects of climate change.

The grant will be disbursed over two years through the Uganda Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF), a World Bank-administered fund that mobilizes donor contributions and invests in strategic areas to promote an effective implementation of the National Development Plans and priorities to achieve the overall goals of the national Vision 2040.

The MDTF, which complements the World Bank's lending, advisory and analytical support, has been active since 2018.
 
The Fund finances activities delivered through five complementary and interlinked windows to improve development outcomes. 

These include promoting green growth, economic governance, strengthening community resilience, enhancing private sector development, and job creation and development effectiveness. 

The Sida contribution will finance activities under Window Five of the MDTF aimed at "promoting green growth". Sida is the first donor under this window, which supports the Government of Uganda's green growth agenda for improving sustainable management of forests and wildlife protected areas to increase benefits from forests, protected areas and wildlife.
 
The Window recognises the importance of green growth to support economic recovery from the COVID-19.

"We believe that this project shall contribute to increased capacity of NFA and UWA and will also lay a foundation for future collaboration and support from other development partners. 

"We remain committed to supporting Uganda to meet its Nationally Determined Contributions to combat climate change while attaining economic growth that does not adversely affect the environment," said Ola Hällgren, the Head of Development Cooperation at the Embassy of Sweden.

"Managing resources sustainably stretches beyond environmental and climate benefits. It is also a powerful job creator, providing vital livelihoods and opportunities out of poverty for both young and old, and across different skill levels. That is very important to help communities build back better after the COVID-19 pandemic," said Tony Thompson, World Bank Country Manager for Uganda. 

This partnership complements the IDA-financed Investing in Forests and Protected Areas for Climate-Smart Development Project ($148.2 million, approved by the World Bank and currently awaiting Cabinet and Parliament approval) and will include both activities implemented by the Government of Uganda and by the World Bank, contributing to the overarching objective of supporting Uganda's development strategy of inclusive and sustainable growth.

National Forestry Authority and Uganda Wildlife Authority will lead implementation of project activities on behalf of the Government of Uganda. The project aims to improve monitoring and securing forest and protected area resources and community livelihoods in selected landscapes within the Albertine region of Uganda.

The Albertine landscape sustains a large and rapidly growing population, biodiversity of globally important significance and which protect and deliver important ecosystems services. 

This landscape is also central to Uganda's tourism industry, which makes a major contribution to Uganda's economy in terms of foreign exchange earnings, jobs, and revenue. 

It is estimated that Uganda's natural capital contributed almost 40 percent to overall nation's wealth in 2014, but forests and wetlands are being lost and degraded rapidly while tourism has been amongst sectors hardest hit by the COVID-19 outbreak.