Business & Management
Uganda’s IGE Cohort 2022 Graduates: New IGE Program (2023-2027) Launched
Uganda’s pioneer cohort of the Inclusive Green Economy (IGE 2022) has graduated with Certificates of Achievement and new IGE five year program (2023-2027) officially launched at Makerere University.
The ceremony organised by the Environment for Development Initiative (EfD-Mak Centre) was held on 5th April 2023 and presided over by the University Vice Chancellor. It was graced by the EfDs Global hub IGE program Lead and Co-leader Prof. Anders Ekbom and Emily Caesar, the EfD Advisory Board Chair, Prof. Umar Kakumba, the Principal College of Business and Management Sciences represented by Dr. Yawe Bruno.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Finance and Administration Eng. Prof. Henry Alinaitwe launched the new IGE Phase and awarded certificates of Achievement to the IGE 2022 fellows on behalf of the Vice Chancellor.
Prof. Alinaitwe appreciated the Swedish IGE program coordinators, the Swedish government and the tax payer for the commitment and support towards the program as well as the human capacity building, research and infrastructure development on the continent.
He observed that environmental degradation and climate change are common and eminent resulting from unsustainable human and economic activities and the ever the ever increasing population.
“The Inclusive Green Economy program is definitely for all of us. As a university, it gives us the opportunity to interact with various stakeholders, policy makers key ministries and it means, we already have some key contacts as extra resources. As a university, we want to be seen to be impacting society “
Alinaitwe implored the EfD-Mak Centre and IGE fellows to collaborate with the Economic Policy Research Centre to conduct research in environmental, economic and agricultural matters among others.
The Leader of the IGE program at the EfD Global hub at the University of Gothenburg Sweden Prof. Anders Ekbong said the program collaborates with the EfD Centres across the globe to support and build capacity in government ministries and agencies.
The EfD contributes to more effective environmental management to policy relevant research capacity development and policy engagement and the IGE is part of this.
In 2023 and beyond, Anders said EfD and IGE will jointly focus on sustainable energy transitions and interdisciplinary collaboration.
“An Inclusive Green Economy is an economic development that improves human being and social equity while significantly reducing environmental risk and ecological scarcities. The program strives to avoid economic growth that is attained at the expense of the environment and includes the aspect of inclusion such as social acceptance, public involvement in planning, decision making and follow up”.
IGE is a capacity building program for senior public servants in East Africa and economic policy instruments to achieve green transitions. Other parts of EfD focus on academic capacity building while the IGE is in this, it translates research into policy and practice, bridging gaps between research and policy”. Anders explained
He said, during the two years, the IGE program covered 5 countries and 55 civil servants have been enrolled constituting the IGE Alumni/fellows.
The program according to Anders has received 7.5 million dollars to implement the second phase of a slightly modified IGE program to accelerate transition towards inclusive green economy, develop skills and increase use of evidence based policy making and to build a community of practice on IGE to improve collaboration between government organisations, sector stakeholders and the academia.
The EfD-Mak Board Chairman Prof. Umar Kakumba said the university is delighted to have this strategic partnership that enabled the university join the global network of environmental economists to establish the Centre as one of the hubs, expanding opportunities of pursuing strategic partnership.
“The launch of the IGE for the next five years attest to the fact that the preliminary phase has been successful in a way of meeting the goals that were set and it is an affirmation on our part that Makerere continuous to be a university for the region and the university that is seeking the North-South partnership to create interventions that can address emerging problems related to environment”, Kakumba said.
The new IGE phase according to the board chair comes on the heels of capacity building that has taken place where the university has had the policy makers, governments and nongovernmental agencies spread across and where the training has come in handy of supporting the mission of training and capacity building and human capital development of the country.
Kakumba underscored the importance of training people in policy as important
“Policy remains key without which a country may not succeed even with resource because they may be wasted. Policy must provide a pivot around which the entire operations rotate and policy must guide action and ensure that goals and objectives of any institution or project are achieved.
Representing the Principal CoBAMS, Dr. Yawe Bruno congratulated the fellows upon successfully completing the program. He said the activities executed by the EfD-Mak Centre speak to the University and college strategic objectives, the national development plan as well as the sustainable development goals.
“It is encouraging to learn that Sida has agreed to fund the new IGE phase for which we congratulate the IGE team lead. I appreciate the hard work of your team. The college appreciates the leadership of the EfD-Mak Centre for coordinating the IGE activities.
The Centre is a special kind of undertaking because its leadership is of hybrid nature bringing two colleges together and following that, we have joint academic programs”, The Principal appreciated.
The Director EfD-Mak Centre Prof. Edward Bbaale said, Makerere University has had a long-term collaboration with Sida particularly through the university of Gothenburg including training PhD candidates specialising in environmental economics with the objective of ensuring that candidates come back home and participate in policy reviews, formulation and advising government in the area of environmental economics.
Later Bbaale said, it was realised that the candidates lacked a platform to engage with government and undertake several activities related to policy engagement and advise to government and hence the University of Gothenburg sought to create an institutional platform where research and engagement takes place leading to the birth of the EfD-Mak Centre – one of the 14 others across the world.
“I want to give credit to the institutional framework established at Makerere in that when Dr. Anders and colleagues came up with the concept of Inclusive Green Economy, there was an established platform to leverage.The Inclusive Green Economy is being implemented through the EfD-Mak Centre”. Bbaale said
Both the EfD and IGE operated as sister interventions sponsored by Sida from the University of Gothenburg. Within the two years implementation of the IGE, senior civil servants have been trained and because of the synergies of the IGE and EfD, the two beginning 2023 merged into one mega program to create more impact in green growth and environmental sustainability.
“The ingenuity and hard work of our leads in the University of Gothenburg and Sida agreed to sponsor another phase for five years where we are going to train government officials at senior level and uniquely we agreed as a team to recruit only five per year because the hands-on and other closely monitored activities that take place during the training”, Bbaale added.
The participants are selected by heads of government ministries who recommend participants on the program. Through this program Bbaale said, both the visibility of the university and connection to other partners have improved.
IGE Graduands speak out
The graduating IGE fellows applauded the initiative as enriching
“We have been having knowledge on green economy but the inclusive bit has been missing. IGE program is helping us to make green economy inclusive because as we transition, we want programs, projects and investments which reconcile environment and economic development. The inclusive component is enabling us to have a win-win situation by bringing in the would-be losers for the green economy among the beneficiaries”, Aaron Werikhe from the National Planning Authority.
“The course is very timely for us particularly in two ways; It is going to enable previous participants form a community of practice that is going to connect the dots between what has been researched and what we are going to practice”, Andrew Masaba from the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.
“As a city, we are struggling with issues of climate change, environment, waste, dust in the city and the increasing city population and the growing economy. This program has been very useful in helping us to learn the policy instruments that we can use in addressing environmental problems in the city, developing strategies and how to address climate change issues but also make economic growth of the city sustainable without affecting the environment.
So, we are developing a number of projects around this to make the city better. I thank the organisers, it has been a very good program and I pray that many other people benefit from it”, Robert Kyukyu Ag. Director Strategic Management and Business Development at Kampala Capital City Authority.
Courtesy Call on the Vice Chancellor
Prior to the launch of the new five year IGE program (2023-2027) and IGE 2022 cohort graduation ceremony, the IGE Lead team from the EfD Global Hub paid a courtesy call on the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe in his office in the Frank Kalimuzo Central Teaching Facility.
Business & Management
Uganda Launches Policy Briefs on Natural Capital Accounts to position Nature at the Centre of Economic Planning
Uganda has launched five policy briefs on Natural Capital Accounts aimed at integrating the value of the country’s forests, wetlands, water resources, land, energy systems and ecosystems into national economic planning and decision making.
The Policy Briefs, developed by the Centre of Excellence for Africa Climate-Sensitive Macroeconomic Modelling (CEACM) under the College of Business and Management Sciences, were launched on Wednesday 15th July 2026 at Makerere University.
The initiative brings together government, academia and development partners to promote climate-informed economic policies as Uganda pursues sustainable development and its economic transformation targets.
The five policy briefs address Uganda’s energy transition, declining wood stocks, natural capital integration into development planning, sustainable land use, and national water accounting amid climate change.
The five policy briefs include:
- Uganda’s Wood Stock on a Declining Pathway to Extinction: A Call for Policy Review and Action
- Uganda’s Energy System at a Crossroads: The Unsustainable Reliance on Biomass and the Need for Energy Transition
- Integrating Natural Capital into Development Planning in Uganda: Insights from the Ecosystem Service and Asset Accounts (1990-2015)
- Leveraging Land Natural Capital to Drive Uganda’s Sustainable and Inclusive Growth
- National Water Accounts Development: Tracking Uganda’s Progress amidst Climate Change.
Link to the Policy Briefs: https://bams.mak.ac.ug/policy-briefs/
Speaking at the Launch of the policy briefs, the Minister of State for Environment, Hon. Beatrice Atim Anywar who represented the Minister of Water and Environment, said natural capital accounting provides Uganda with a new approach to valuing its environmental resources.
“Today, we are launching a new way of seeing, planning and managing Uganda’s development,” Hon. Anywar said.
She noted that for years, Uganda’s economic progress has largely been measured through indicators such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which do not capture the decline or improvement of natural resources.
“But GDP does not tell us if our forests, water sources and wetlands are shrinking. It does not tell us if our forests can still hold our waters or whether our soils will still feed the next generation,” she said.
Hon. Anywar said Uganda’s natural capital, including forests, wetlands, water resources, biodiversity, minerals and fertile soils, supports livelihoods, tourism, energy generation and climate resilience. “This natural capital supports over 70 percent of our population and powers our hydropower. It feeds into tourism and buffers us against droughts and threatening floods,” she said.
She warned that degradation of these resources represents a loss of national wealth. “When natural capital is degraded, we are not just losing trees, wetlands, water or soils. We are losing wealth. We are losing jobs for our children and future generations,” she said.
The Minister said natural capital accounting allows Uganda to place nature on its economic balance sheet. “This is what natural capital accounting does. It puts nature on the balance sheet. I studied basic accounting, but I never imagined that natural resources could also be reflected on a balance sheet. Today, that is becoming a reality,” she said.
She challenged all stakeholders to ensure that every future development decision considers its impact on Uganda’s natural capital, stressing that informed choices today will secure sustainable prosperity for generations to come.
Hon. Anywar also called for recognition of the role communities play in protecting natural resources, saying traditional knowledge must complement modern science.
“Our ancestors protected the environment without maps, technology or scientific reports. They knew which areas were sacred, where water sources were protected and where forests should not be disturbed,” she said. “When communities understand that protecting a wetland or forest protects their own livelihoods, we will not need constant enforcement. People themselves will become protectors of nature,” she added.
Research Must Drive Policy Decisions
Delivering the opening remarks, the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe highlighted the event as a significant milestone in strengthening climate-sensitive economic planning.
He noted that the theme of the launch and dissemination workshop, “Advancing Climate-Informed Economic Policy for Sustainable Development in Africa,” aligns with the research-led agenda of Makerere University.
Prof. Nawangwe said the launch demonstrates the role of universities in generating evidence to support national development. “Today’s event demonstrates the power of collaboration between academia, government and development partners in generating knowledge that informs public policy and advances Uganda’s sustainable development agenda,” he said.
Prof. Nawangwe said the policy briefs provide evidence needed for integrating natural capital into national planning, budgeting and investment decisions. He said the University will continue strengthening research capacity to support Uganda and Africa.
Emphasizing the urgency of informed decision-making, he observed that Africa remains one of the regions most affected by climate change while experiencing rapid population growth, placing increasing pressure on natural resources. He stressed that research-driven policies are essential for achieving climate resilience and sustainable economic growth.
The Vice Chancellor commended the Government of Uganda, particularly the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, on the country’s historic appointment as the first Co-Chair of the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action.
He recognised the Centre of Excellence for Africa Climate-Sensitive Macroeconomic Modelling (CEACM) for advancing interdisciplinary research and strengthening Uganda’s position as a regional leader in climate-sensitive macroeconomic modelling and evidence-informed policymaking.
“The Centre continues to build the capacity of African researchers and policymakers while fostering partnerships with government institutions, development partners, regional organisations, and the private sector,” he said.
Strengthening Africa’s Climate Policy Research Agenda
Prof. Edward Bbaale, the Director of CEACM and the Principal, College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS), reported on Makerere University’s investment in establishing specialised centres that address critical policy challenges facing Uganda and the African continent.
He stated that CEACM was established to respond to growing global demands for climate considerations to become part of national planning, budgeting and macroeconomic decision-making.
“The Centre is committed to producing high-quality policy-oriented research while strengthening the capacity of policymakers and practitioners to respond effectively to climate and economic challenges,” he said.
He explained that CEACM was established because climate change can no longer be separated from economic planning. “It is very important that national planning, budgeting, macroeconomic frameworks and fiscal policies are not oblivious to climate change, but instead fully integrate climate-related considerations,” he said.
He stated that CEACM’s work aligns with emerging global and continental initiatives, including the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action and the Pan-African Forum of Finance Ministers on Climate Action, underscoring the increasing role of finance ministries in integrating climate priorities into economic planning and fiscal decision-making.
Prof. Bbaale added that Makerere University had positioned itself as a partner to government through research, evidence generation and capacity building. “We could not stand aside. We have to be part of this global effort and contribute the much-needed evidence, research and capacity building to support the Ministry of Finance in executing this important responsibility,” he said.
He noted that Uganda’s role as the first African country to co-chair the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action had created an opportunity for local institutions to strengthen climate-sensitive economic modelling.
Uganda’s Progress in Integrating Natural Capital into Economic Planning
Representing the GGGI Country Representative, the Manager of Climate Finance, Mr. Arthur Ssebbugga-Kimeze commended Uganda’s efforts to integrate natural capital accounting into national economic planning. “This is a critical step towards climate-resilient and sustainable development,” he acknowledged.
The Manager of Climate Finance applauded the collaboration between Makerere University, the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, and development partners in generating evidence that supports informed policymaking.
He also recognised the Government of Denmark for its continued support in advancing climate-smart economic policies through the Denmark-EGP partnership.
Emphasizing the significance of natural capital as a key pillar of economic prosperity, Mr. Ssebbugga-Kimeze called for sustained investment in protecting these assets. “Uganda’s experience is increasingly informing climate finance and policy discussions across Africa through the Pan-African Finance Ministers’ Forum on Climate Action,” he added.
He called for strong partnerships among government, academia, and development partners to ensure that research continues to drive evidence-based policymaking and sustainable economic growth, reaffirming GGGI’s commitment to supporting Uganda’s green growth agenda.
Policy Briefs Must Move from Shelves to Decisions
Representing the Embassy of Denmark in Uganda, Ms. Nina Guldbæk van Leeuwen, Counsellor and Team Leader for Politics, Regional Affairs and Refugee Support, said natural capital accounting is critical for building climate-resilient economies.
She commended Uganda’s leadership as co-chair of the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action. “These policy briefs are crucial in enhancing the role of economic, fiscal and financial policies in addressing climate change in Uganda and Africa as a whole,” she said.
Ms. Van Leeuwen said reliable natural capital accounts enable finance ministries to integrate climate considerations into economic planning. “Ministries of Finance require these accounts to support macroeconomic modelling, which can only be developed through a strengthened and collaborative national statistical system,” she said.
She urged stakeholders to ensure the research informs actual decisions. “Let us ensure that these policy briefs do not remain on institutional shelves but are actively used to inform decisions and policies going forward,” she said.
Natural Capital Data will improve Economic Decision
The Acting Commissioner for Macroeconomic Policy at Uganda’s Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Mr. Davis Vuningoma, called for climate change to be treated as a macroeconomic and fiscal challenge rather than solely an environmental issue.
“Climate risks pose significant threats to agricultural productivity, energy generation, infrastructure, government revenues, and fiscal stability,” he noted.
Mr. Vuningoma said natural capital accounting will strengthen Uganda’s ability to make informed economic decisions.
He warned that climate change poses economic risks that could affect Uganda’s fiscal space. “If we do not address these challenges, our fiscal space could shrink, and our ability to provide public services could be affected,” Mr. Vuningoma said.
He said Uganda’s natural resources have historically not been fully reflected in traditional economic measurements. “Uganda is richly endowed with natural capital, including forests, wetlands and water resources. However, traditional measures of economic performance have often failed to fully capture the value of these assets,” he said.
Mr. Vuningoma said the policy briefs provide practical options for government as Uganda seeks to expand its economy. “This is particularly important at a time when Uganda is pursuing ambitious economic transformation targets, including the goal of growing the economy tenfold and achieving a USD 500 billion economy,” he said.
Key Findings Highlight Pressure on Uganda’s Natural Resources
Presenting the highlights, Dr. Peter Babyenda, the Coordinator of CEACM, disclosed that the policy briefs highlight growing pressure on Uganda’s natural resources.
The Energy System at Crossroads brief found that traditional biomass accounts for about 87 percent of Uganda’s final energy consumption, highlighting continued dependence on firewood and charcoal.
The Wood Stock Declining Pathway brief found that Uganda’s national wood resources declined by 45 percent between 1990 and 2015, with projections warning of possible exhaustion of available wood supply between 2032 and 2040 under current trends.
The Land Natural Capital brief identified unsustainable agricultural expansion, deforestation and urbanisation as major drivers of land degradation.
The Ecosystem Services and Asset Accounts brief noted that although the monetary value of ecosystem assets increased between 1990 and 2015, natural capital value per person declined by 17.7 percent due to population growth.
The National Water Accounts brief highlighted agriculture as the largest water user, accounting for 55.4 percent of total water abstraction in 2024, while warning of increasing climate risks.
Panel Discussion: Advancing Climate-Informed Economic Policy for Sustainable Development in Africa
Moderated by Prof. Edward Bbaale, the session featured the following panellists: Dr. Ronald Kaggwa-National Planning Authority, Mr. Wilson Asiimwe-Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Mr. Nathan Mununuzi-Ministry of Water and Environment, Mr. Godwin Kamugisha-National Environment Management Authority, and Dr. Peter Babyenda-CEACM Coordinator and member of faculty at Makerere University College of Business and Management Sciences (MakCoBAMS).
The Panelists argued that assigning monetary value to forests, wetlands, water resources, and other ecosystems would enable evidence-based budgeting, investment decisions, and environmental protection while capturing costs ignored by traditional GDP measures.
They stressed the need for stronger institutions, increased funding, enhanced research and capacity building, and closer collaboration between government, academia, and development partners.
The event, organized by CEACM, brought on board distinguished stakeholders including the Minister of State for Environment, Hon. Beatrice Atim Anywar who represented the Minister of Water and Environment, Hon. Maj. Gen. (Rtd.) Kahinda Otafiire, Makerere University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, the Principal, College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS), and Director CEACM, Prof. Edward Bbaale and representatives from different Ministries and Agencies such as, the Embassy of Denmark in Uganda, the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, the Ministry of Water and Environment, the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, and among others.
CEACM is a research and policy centre that supports African countries in integrating climate change and natural capital into economic planning through research, capacity building, and evidence-based policymaking. CEACM is one of the centres within the School of Economics at the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) at Makerere University.
The Public Investment Management Centre of Excellence (PIM CoE) at Makerere University is set to benefit from a grant under the World Bank-supported PIM-Plus Project, an initiative aimed at strengthening Public Investment Management Systems and enhancing the capacity for effective project planning, appraisal, implementation, and monitoring in Uganda.
Through the project, the Centre is expected to receive funding of approximately USD 8 million to support the construction of a modern teaching and residential facility. The proposed infrastructure is intended to enhance the Centre’s capacity to deliver high-quality training, research and technical advisory services in Public Investment Management (PIM) to government institutions and other stakeholders across the region and beyond.
The project’s construction activities are anticipated to commence in the next financial year following the completion of the necessary preparatory processes, including feasibility studies and project design.
As part of the ongoing project preparation activities, the PIM CoE today hosted a delegation of officials from the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED), who visited the Centre to assess progress made towards the implementation of the PIM-Plus Project. The visit provided an opportunity for the Ministry team to review the Centre’s readiness, discuss key project milestones, and identify areas requiring further attention to ensure timely project execution.
The Ministry delegation was led by Ms. Esther Ayebare, Ag. Assistant Commissioner, Public Investments and Project Analysis Department who commended the Centre for the progress registered thus far. She emphasized the importance of adhering to the project preparation timelines and urged the PIM CoE team to expedite the completion of the feasibility studies and other prerequisite activities necessary for project approval and commencement.
Ms. Ayebare noted that the successful implementation of the project will significantly strengthen the Centre’s role as a national and regional hub for capacity building, research and knowledge dissemination in Public Investment Management. She further underscored the Government’s commitment to supporting initiatives that enhance the quality of public investments and contribute to improved service delivery and sustainable economic development.
The Director of the PIM Centre, Prof. Edward Bbaale reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to ensuring that all project preparation requirements are completed within the stipulated timelines. He noted that the planned facility will provide a conducive environment for training, accommodation and collaborative learning thereby strengthening the Centre’s ability to support the Country in developing and managing high-quality investment projects.
Dr. John Sseruyange, the Manager of the PIM Centre of Excellence emphasized that the Centre remains committed to delivering high-quality, demand-driven training courses that respond to the evolving needs of Public Investment Management practitioners and contribute to the successful implementation of Uganda’s Public Investment Management reform agenda. He further noted that the project will enable the Centre to effectively fulfil its mandate and contribute more meaningfully to addressing PIM capacity constraints in the region. The PIM-Plus Project forms part of broader efforts by the Government of Uganda and its development partners to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and impact of public investments, ensuring that public resources are directed towards projects that deliver maximum socio-economic benefits for citizens.
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