General
FDRE Parliament Delegation Visits Mak, Advocates for Public Diplomacy Group
A delegation from the Parliament accompanied by officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) on Wednesday 27th November 2019 visited Makerere University and held talks on the need to establish a Uganda Public Diplomacy Group among a wide range of other issues. The delegation led by Hon. Tesfaye Daba – Chairman, Peace and Foreign Relations Standing Committee of the House of Representatives of the FDRE was received by a special session of Management held in the Council Room. They were accompanied by the Ambassador of the FDRE to Uganda Her Excellency Alemtsehay Meseret Gelaw.
Welcoming the delegation, the Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe thanked Hon. Daba for including Makerere University their Ugandan itinerary. He shared that Makerere was the alma mater of several distinguished African leaders and others such as Rt. Hon. Ralph Everard Gonsalves, 4th Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in the Caribbean.
Prof. Nawangwe added that Makerere remains a flagship university in health sciences research and is keen to become a research intensive University in the next ten years. “Makerere University and Addis Ababa University are both members of the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) and through this umbrella we are going to conduct more research and innovations so as to accelerate economic growth of not only our respective countries but Africa as a whole.”
The Vice Chancellor also spoke of the longstanding relationship between Makerere and Addis Ababa University as well as other Ethiopian Universities such as Mekelle University and the University of Gondar. “I hope that this visit will facilitate even greater collaborations especially in the area of staff and student exchanges.”
In his remarks, Hon. Tesfaye Daba thanked the Vice Chancellor and University Management for the warm reception and expressed his delegation’s happiness at visiting one of Africa’s oldest and most historic universities. He added that Uganda and Ethiopia have similar cultural values and historic ties and that the delegation’s visit would help to further cement diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The Ethiopian Ambassador H.E. Alemtsehay Meseret Gelaw thanked both the Makerere University Management and visiting delegation for identifying culture as an important factor in collaboration. She noted that whereas various African leaders often promote the integration of various regional economic communities, this amalgamation would be difficult without the prior knowledge and appreciation of the various cultures involved.
“Ethiopia and Uganda have similar values and cultures which need to be explored and built up so that they can be shared with future generations. We need to come up with a way to network our various associations of theatre, music, poetry and film” recommended the Ambassador.
H.E. Gelaw therefore proposed that the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Uganda and Ethiopia need to come up with a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) incorporating the ideas discussed in the meeting which can then be shared with various stakeholders on both sides. This draft MoU, she added, can then be used by the Vice Chancellor to pursue similar associations with his Ethiopian counterparts.
H.E. Daba then challenged Makerere University to start the Uganda Public Diplomacy Group, made up of stakeholders from various Ugandan bodies and associations, as a vehicle for inter-state collaborations. “From past experience the Ethiopian Public Diplomacy Group visited Sudan before any other groups could and the relationship established led to the formation of various diplomatic ties as well as return visits. We therefore look forward to receiving the newly established Uganda Public Diplomacy Group in Addis Ababa.”
Prof. Nawangwe in his concluding remarks agreed that all indicators show that Africa is the next growth frontier and this would be accelerated if African states collaborated with each other. “I pledge that we are going to start the Uganda Public Diplomacy Group and we look forward to engaging the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports in this endeavour.”
Article by Public Relations Office
Makerere University and the University of Notre Dame, Indiana, USA (ND) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which opens opportunities for collaboration between the two historic and leading research institutions in the areas of staff and student exchange, joint research and training, joint supervision of graduate students, and others.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe signed on behalf of Makerere University and Rev. Robert A. Dowd, the 18th President signed on behalf of the University of Notre Dame. The ceremony, which was held at the University of Notre Dame campus at South Bend, Indiana was witnessed by Dr. Lorna Magara, the Chairperson of the Council of Makerere University, who led the Mak delegation.
Dr. Magara appreciated the institutionalisation of the collaboration between the two universities and the very warm hospitality accorded to the Mak delegation.
General
Press Release: Government of Uganda and Partners Launch SAY Plus+ to Scale Youth Sexual Reproductive Health & Rights (SRHR) Impact in Underserved Regions
USD 50 million national programme moves into full implementation, strengthening
adolescent and youth rights, empowerment, protection and access to youth-responsive
services in 13 districts across five sub-regions
KAMPALA, 7 MAY 2026: The Government of Uganda, through the Ministry of Health, today officially launched the SAY Plus+ Programme, a Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) initiative designed to strengthen adolescent and youth rights, empowerment, protection and access to quality services in Uganda’s underserved regions.
The launch, held at Makerere University‘s Freedom Square under the theme “My Voice Matters: Youth Voices for SAY Plus+” and the tagline “Nothing for us, without us”, marks the programme’s transition into full implementation.
SAY Plus+, formerly known as Strengthening Adolescents and Youth Rights and Empowerment: Scaling Impact, is led by the Ministry of Health, in coordination with other Ministries, with UNFPA Uganda serving as the Managing and Technical Agency.
Backed by a USD 50 million pooled fund from the Governments of Iceland, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Sweden, the initiative is scheduled to operate between 2024 and 2030. It is currently being rolled out across thirteen districts within five sub-regions, providing targeted assistance to regional referral hospitals in Jinja, Mbale, Moroto, Yumbe, Arua, and Gulu. Furthermore, the programme supports the Human Capital Development goals established in Uganda’s National Development Plan IV.
“SAY Plus+ represents a shift from fragmented interventions to a coordinated national effort that meaningfully places young people at the centre of both design and delivery. Through our partnership with the Government of Uganda, development partners, and implementing partners, we are investing not only in services, but in the systems, communities, and environments that enable adolescents and young people to thrive not only today but also in the future,” said Ms. Kristine Blokhus, Representative – UNFPA Uganda.
Officially launched by the Minister of State for Health Hon. Margaret Muhanga, the SAY Plus+ programme targets adolescents and young people aged 10 to 24 years, with particular focus on adolescent girls and young women, refugees and host-community youth, out-of-school young people, those not in employment, education or training, adolescents with disabilities, and young people in humanitarian and post-conflict settings.
“For many of us, things like this one are designed without listening to what we go through every day, think or even feel. SAY Plus+ feels different because it starts with our voices and gives us a real role in shaping solutions. It is not just about information, it is about being supported to make decisions, access services, and build the future we want.” – Jovia Dranzoa, Young person.
SAY Plus+ operates through three pillars. First, it empowers youth to exercise their rights and make informed choices. Second, it engages families, communities, and leaders to address harmful social norms. Third, it strengthens youth-responsive SRHR, HIV, and gender-based violence services via health facilities and community platforms, aiming to reach over 2.3 million direct and indirect beneficiaries.
The SAY Plus+ initiative stands as a model of international cooperation and multi-sectoral synergy. Through the combined support of the Governments of Iceland, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Sweden, and the technical leadership of UNFPA, Uganda is now equipped to scale-up critical interventions in HIV prevention, gender-based violence response, and reproductive health. With implementation now in high gear through 2030, the programme is poised to make a lasting contribution to the nation’s human capital development goals.
— ENDS —
Photos from the event
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