Business & Management
EfD-Uganda Advisory Board Emphasises collaboration to increase Centre Competitiveness
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.
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.
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”
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
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.
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 .
“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.
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
- Assoc. Prof. Umar Kakumba (Chairperson) and DVC (AA) Makerere University
- Magabi Stephen David (Ag. Director Environmental Affairs, MWE)
- Mukasa Tom Bukenya (Ag. Director Fisheries MAAIF)
- Nsereko Mike (Director Policy, Planning and Information NEMA)
- Onesmus Mugyenyi (Deputy ED-ACODE)
- Eria Hisali (Principal CoBAMS)
- Rebecca Ssabaganzi (Local Government representative)
- Sam Mugume Kooja (Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development)
- Ronald Kaggwa (National Planning Authority)
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. 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.
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. 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.
Business & Management
PIM Centre Holds 9th Steering Committee Meeting, Set to Benefit from World Bank Support
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.
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.
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