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EfD-Uganda Advisory Board Emphasises collaboration to increase Centre Competitiveness

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The Advisory Board for the Environment for Development Initiative (EfD-Mak) Centre Uganda held is second annual meeting on 14th March 2023 to receive and review the centre progress and strategize how the center can assert its position to contribute to the university vision and Uganda’s National Development Plan.

Top on the agenda was the need to foster collaborations and partnerships locally and internationally, integration of the center into the National Development Agenda to strengthen relations with government line ministries and, institutionalization of the centre within Makerere University.

A section of board members attending the meeting.
A section of board members attending the meeting.

The meeting also discussed, resource mobilization and popularization for the sustainability of the centre, integrating the review of environmental policies as a sustainability measure,  the representation of the private sector  on the board and the centers strategic  direction and values  among others.

The Board, chaired by Assoc. Prof. Umar Kakumba who is also Makerere University’s Vice Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs, emphasized the need to build more networks and write multi-disciplinary  proposals to increase the center’s competitiveness.

Assoc. Prof. Umar Kakumba chairing the meeting.
Assoc. Prof. Umar Kakumba chairing the meeting.

Prof. Kakumba said as Makerere strives to become a research–led university, the EfD-Mak has a role to play in realizing this goal as the university celebrates its 100 years of existence and builds for the future.

 “The effort is on the shoulders of the Advisory Board in realizing the above by building partnerships with other institutions and the communities and also to build good legacy for the institution”

Board Chair, Assoc. Prof. Umar Kakumba (Left) and Centre Director Prof. Edward Bbaale (Right) during the meeting.
Board Chair, Assoc. Prof. Umar Kakumba (Left) and Centre Director Prof. Edward Bbaale (Right) during the meeting.

Prof. Kakumba appreciated the centre Director Prof. Edward Bbaale and his team for the collaborations already started and milestones reached in capacity development and research. He also congratulated Prof. Bbaale upon securing a higher position in the university as Director, Directorate of Graduate Research and Training.

“ I want to thank you for the role  you played  as Director EfD-Mak Centre which gave you the platform for the position you assumed”, Kakumba commended

One of the Advisory Board members interacts with the Director, Prof. Edward Bbaale (Left) and centre officials after the meeting.
One of the Advisory Board members interacts with the Director, Prof. Edward Bbaale (Left) and centre officials after the meeting.

Apart from the Global hub funding, members proposed the need for the centre to  identify other areas to mobilise resources to facilitate the centre activities, identify  and participate in events done by other institutions, identify  entry points into the National Development plan and budgetary process and to tap into opportunities for capacity gaps in  government departments and also, collaborate  with Uganda Local government agencies in creating entry points to Local governments.

The other strategy was for the center to reach out to institutions, communities and government technical committees to show case what it can offer and to influence policy.

Prof. Edward Bbaale speaking during the meeting.
Prof. Edward Bbaale speaking during the meeting.

In addition to government officials, the trainings according to the board members should be expanded to incorporate beneficiaries from other fields like the private sector and civil society organisations and further expand research to other fields like sanitation and waste disposal in the greater Kampala and other urbanities.

Presenting the background to the formation of  EfD-Mak Centre, the Director Prof. Edward Bbaale  said the  mission  is to provide high quality research, training and policy engagement responsive to environment and development needs in Africa and beyond with a goal to achieve a sustainable environment for development .

Some of the Advisory Board members attending the meeting.
Some of the Advisory Board members attending the meeting.

“The objectives are to strengthen institutional and human capacity of the Centre to deliver its mandate; conduct evidence-based research that informs policy for sustainable development, and to build and strengthen capacity of stakeholders in sustainable environmental management” Prof. Bbaale said

Other objectives according to Prof. Bbaale are to promote policy dialogues and outreach programmes to expand the Centre’s visibility and uptake of the Centre’s research output and to build and enhance collaborations with local and international institutions that support sustainable development.

Prof. Bbaale highlighted key achievements including the establishment of the core team, acquisition  of  office  spaces and assets and major capacity building activities undertaken. Bbaale also reported the strategic workshops and policy dialogues undertaken, research and  grants attracted as well as partnerships established.

Members of the Advisory Board in a meeting at the EfD-Mak conference room.
Members of the Advisory Board in a meeting at the EfD-Mak conference room.

The director also reported the continuing and new  EfD activities for the years 2022 and 2023 with their funding mechanism.

The EfD-Mak Advisory Board

The  nine member board was inaugurated in on 14th April 2022 to guide the operations of the Centre. The board was constituted by representatives  from  government Ministries, Departments and agencies  and civil society organisations including the Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE), National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), National Planning Authority (NPA), Ministry of Finance Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED), Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industries and Fisheries (MAAIF), Wakiso District Local Government (DLG) Parliament, ACODE, and the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) Makerere University.

Members include

  1. Assoc. Prof. Umar Kakumba (Chairperson) and DVC (AA) Makerere University
  2.  Magabi Stephen David (Ag. Director Environmental Affairs, MWE)
  3. Mukasa Tom Bukenya (Ag. Director Fisheries MAAIF)
  4. Nsereko Mike (Director Policy, Planning and Information NEMA)
  5. Onesmus Mugyenyi (Deputy ED-ACODE)
  6. Eria Hisali  (Principal CoBAMS)
  7. Rebecca Ssabaganzi (Local Government representative)
  8. Sam Mugume Kooja (Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development)
  9. Ronald Kaggwa (National Planning Authority)

Jane Anyango

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Press Release: Uganda Entrepreneurship Congress and Youth Expo

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Front View of the reconstructed Main Building, Makerere University. Date Taken 8th November 2024. Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

Release date: October 15, 2025

                                              PRESS RELEASE

RE: Uganda Entrepreneurship Congress and Youth Expo (October 16-17, 2025)

Over 60% of Uganda’s population is categorized as youth. According to the Vice Chancellor, Professor Barnabas Nawangwe, Makerere University is one of the institutions in Uganda with the highest concentration of youth. Annually, over 10,000 youth graduate from Makerere University to join the labour market. As they plan to transition into the job market, some of them, are hit by the hard reality of unemployment.  In Uganda, the youth unemployment rate (those aged 18 to 30) is 16.1% (Uganda Bureau of Statistics 2024).

To address this issue, Makerere University in partnership with the Government of Uganda, industry and the private sector, has been implementing programmes, to unlock the entrepreneurship potential of students and the youth in Uganda.

Through its College of Business and Management Sciences, the entity runs the Makerere University Entrepreneurship and Outreach Centre, committed to shaping Uganda’s next generation of entrepreneurs. The Center brings together members of the entrepreneurship ecosystem to discuss issues that are shaping entrepreneurial activities in the country.

This year, on the 16th and 17th of October, Makerere University Entrepreneurship and Outreach Centre, presents to you-The Uganda Entrepreneurship Congress and Youth Expo, themed, Brewing Prosperity: Youth Entrepreneurship in Uganda’s Coffee Value Chain.

The Entrepreneurship Congress and Youth Expo, spotlights one of Uganda’s most strategic Agricultural sectors-COFFEE. Over 600 students from the College of Business and Management Sciences at Makerere University, will showcase different innovations, with potential to be scaled into companies and business enterprises.

Focus on the Coffee Sector: By June 2024, Uganda had exported 667,037 kilograms of coffee worth US$162.36 million, underscoring its role as a cornerstone of the economy and a key foreign exchange earner. Despite this performance, the majority of Uganda’s youth remain excluded from the coffee value chain, often confined to low-income farm labor with limited participation in processing, branding, and export where the greatest value is captured (Uganda Coffee Development Authority).

With 78% of Uganda’s population under 30, this disconnect represents both a critical risk and an unprecedented opportunity.

Therefore, the Uganda Entrepreneurship Congress and Youth Expo at Makerere University, serves as a national convening platform for youth, entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, and private sector leaders to unlock youth-driven innovation across the coffee value chain, from climate-smart farming and agritech to processing, branding, and global market access. By moving beyond subsistence farming towards ownership, innovation, and high value enterprises, the youth in Uganda can secure a greater share of the global coffee market while catalyzing job creation and sustainable development.

  • 16th October 2025-Uganda Entrepreneurship Congress (8:00am to 3:00pm) at Makerere University Yusuf Lule Central Teaching Facility Auditorium.
  • 17th October 2025-The Innovation and Youth Expo (8:00am to 4:30pm) at Makerere University Freedom Square, featuring youth coffee brands, brewing demonstrations, agritech prototypes, and live cupping sessions. 

Key milestone: Dr. Sarah Bimbona, a Lecturer at the College of Business and Management Sciences, and the Director of the Makerere University Entrepreneurship and Outreach Centre, states that during the Congress and Expo, over 600 youth will be equipped with new skills to join and innovate in the coffee industry.

Chief Guest: Mr. Odrek Rwabwogo, Chairperson, Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development (PACEID).

Keynote Speaker: Mr. Moses Nyabila, Chief Executive Officer, aBi Development Ltd.

Panel 1:  Market Readiness, Value Addition and Story Telling; and Panel 2-Financing the Future.

Some of the Partners: Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, National Coffee Research Initiative (NaCORI), BRAC Uganda, Tooke, Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, Vision Group, Mountain Harvest, Pepsi, Rainforest Alliance, Sumz, and the Banana Industrial Research & Development Centre. 

CONTACT PERSON:  For additional information, please contact: Ms. Ritah Namisango, Public Relations and Communication Specialist at Makerere University, College of Business and Management Sciences, Telephone contact: +256 702944224.

Ritah Namisango
Ritah Namisango

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Over 35 Officials Begin Training in Financial Appraisal and Risk Analysis

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Participants including over 35 public officials from various pose for a group photo at the commencement of the training on 13th October 2025 in Mbarara. 35 public officials from various MDAs commenced two-week intensive training in Financial Appraisal and Risk Analysis in Mbarara, 13th October 2025 organized by the Public Investment Management (PIM) Centre of Excellence at Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED), the National Planning Authority (NPA), and Cambridge Resources International (CRI).

Over 35 public officials from various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) have commenced a two-week intensive training in Financial Appraisal and Risk Analysis in Mbarara. The training is organized by the Public Investment Management (PIM) Centre of Excellence at Makerere University, in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED), the National Planning Authority (NPA), and Cambridge Resources International (CRI).

Speaking on behalf of the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury, Ms. Esther Ayebare commended the ongoing efforts to strengthen Uganda’s public investment management systems. She highlighted the recent launch of the National Public Investment Management Policy, describing it as a robust and unified framework guiding the entire investment cycle—from planning and appraisal through to implementation and post-evaluation.

Ms. Esther Ayebare. 35 public officials from various MDAs commenced two-week intensive training in Financial Appraisal and Risk Analysis in Mbarara, 13th October 2025 organized by the Public Investment Management (PIM) Centre of Excellence at Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED), the National Planning Authority (NPA), and Cambridge Resources International (CRI).
Ms. Esther Ayebare.

Ms. Ayebare further noted other key reforms including the Framework for Tracking Implementation and Performance of Public Investments, the revised Development Committee Guidelines, and the Integrated Bank of Projects, all of which are designed to improve efficiency, accountability, and value-for-money in public investments.

“Each of these reforms plays a key role in enhancing public investment management. I urge you to familiarize yourselves with them and integrate these frameworks into your daily work,” she added.

Prof. Eria Hisali. 35 public officials from various MDAs commenced two-week intensive training in Financial Appraisal and Risk Analysis in Mbarara, 13th October 2025 organized by the Public Investment Management (PIM) Centre of Excellence at Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED), the National Planning Authority (NPA), and Cambridge Resources International (CRI).
Prof. Eria Hisali.

The Deputy Director of the PIM Centre of Excellence, Prof. Eria Hisali, encouraged participants to actively engage throughout the training and make the most of the opportunity to build their analytical and decision-making capacity. He commended the Ministry of Finance for its continued financial support to the Centre and reaffirmed Makerere University’s commitment to providing high-quality training and research to strengthen public investment governance.

The Manager of the PIM Centre, Dr. John Sseruyange, underscored the importance of the training, emphasizing that the PIM Centre was established to build national capacity in the appraisal, management, and evaluation of public investments. He called on participants to apply the knowledge gained to improve project preparation and implementation within their respective institutions.

Dr. John Sseruyange. 35 public officials from various MDAs commenced two-week intensive training in Financial Appraisal and Risk Analysis in Mbarara, 13th October 2025 organized by the Public Investment Management (PIM) Centre of Excellence at Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED), the National Planning Authority (NPA), and Cambridge Resources International (CRI).
Dr. John Sseruyange.

Dr. Sseruyange also expressed appreciation to the team of facilitators drawn from Makerere University, MoFPED, NPA, and CRI for their expertise and continued dedication to building Uganda’s human capital for effective public investment management.

The Financial Appraisal and Risk Analysis course is part of a broader capacity-building programme implemented by the PIM Centre aimed at enhancing the skills of public officials in the design, evaluation, and monitoring of development projects to ensure that public investments deliver optimal socio-economic returns for the country.

Betty Kyakuwa
Betty Kyakuwa

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PIM Centre Holds 9th Steering Committee Meeting, Set to Benefit from World Bank Support

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Mak PIM COE Steering Committee

The Public Investment Management (PIM) Centre of Excellence at Makerere University today, October 10th, 2025, held its 9th Steering Committee Meeting to review progress made in the first quarter of the financial year and plan for the months ahead.

The meeting was chaired by Ms. Getrude Basiima, who represented Mr. Hannington Ashaba, Director Budget at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED). Ms. Basiima commended the Centre for its continued commitment to strengthening public investment management capacity across government institutions.

In her remarks, Ms. Basiima applauded the Centre for successfully hosting the Public Investment Management Conference held in August at Makerere University. The conference attracted key policymakers, development partners, and academics who deliberated on how to enhance the efficiency, sustainability, and impact of public investments in Uganda.

She further shared exciting news that the Government of Uganda has secured funding from the World Bank to support the public investment management function. The PIM Centre, she announced, will be among the key beneficiaries of these funds — receiving support for the construction and acquisition of a permanent home to enhance its institutional sustainability and training capacity.

Reviewing the Centre’s quarterly performance, Ms. Basiima congratulated the team for successfully conducting three specialized trainings in the first quarter, reaching officials from various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies. These trainings continue to strengthen the technical competencies required for effective project preparation, appraisal, and implementation in line with Uganda’s National Development Plan.

The PIM Steering Committee in a meeting held at Emin Pasha Hotel

She encouraged the Centre to integrate climate change considerations into its future training programmes, noting that sustainable public investment must now account for environmental resilience and climate adaptation.

The centre team presented the proposed  structure/ organogram, the financial performance of 2024/2025, research areas for 2025/2026 and the strategic plan for 2025 – 2030.

The Steering Committee reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the PIM Centre’s vision of becoming a regional leader in building capacity for efficient, transparent, and sustainable public investment management.

Betty Kyakuwa
Betty Kyakuwa

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