Politics & Policy

Politics & Policy

How to protect refugees in a pandemic: Lessons from Uganda

Despite its large refugee population, none of Uganda’s 139 confirmed cases of Covid-19 (as of May 14, 2020) occurred within refugee settlements, a testament to the country’s humane, sustainable, and forward-looking policies
Congolese refugees queuing up for aid in Bundibugyo district, Uganda
Politics & Policy

World Bank approves Shs182bn loan for Uganda’s desert locust response

The World Bank said on Thursday its board approved a low-interest loan to support Uganda’s desert locus response and strengthen its emergency response systems
The World Bank Headquarters, Washington DC.
OpinionPolitics & Policy

Coronavirus profiteers: Protecting Africa from vulture funds

Some $117 billion of Sub-Saharan African countries’ roughly $150n in long-term debt to private creditors is in the form of bonds, with debtor countries owing the bondholders about $8bn per year. But markets are clearly not confident that these countries will meet their obligations
Abidjan's central business district, with the headquarters of the African Development Bank visible
Politics & Policy

Lockdown update: Easing to begin next week

President Museveni said Tuesday that the lockdown easing he announced yesterday will not come into effect until a week later, after the health ministry issues guidelines on the face masks required to go out in public
Garden City Mall in Nairobi during the coronavirus outbreak
Politics & Policy

Museveni lifts lockdown — or did he?

Going into President Museveni's 18th speech on the Covid-19 pandemic, there was wide expectation that he would announce a relaxation of lockdown measures instituted in March and April
Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni
HealthOpinionPolitics & Policy

How to protect Covid-19 response funds from looters

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, up to 25% of global procurement funding is lost to corruption. With billions of dollars flowing into African countries to support their Covid-19 responses, there is an urgent need to ensure that the money goes where it is intended
A hospital in Uganda
Politics & Policy

The army and violence: handling of coronavirus crisis hints at change

In recent months Uganda’s army has shown professionalism and discipline in dealing with a number of crises, including a desert locust invasion and a national electricity outage. The inter-agency COVID-19 taskforce is led by the army, although it was set up expressly to support the health ministry
Politics & Policy

Aid helps, but ensuring stable access to affordable food is more sustainable

Governments must focus on keeping food supply chains working during Covid-19 lockdowns, and ensure that sufficient food reaches urban markets and that it remains affordable
Woman selling food in a market
Politics & Policy

Africa’s big asks at this year’s IMF and World Bank spring meetings

The scale of the economic onslaught wrought by the coronavirus pandemic will dominate discussions at the International Monetary Fund (IMF)/World Bank spring meetings scheduled to take place – for the first time ever virtually – on 17 to 19 April
World Bank Group headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Politics & Policy

Government to spend extra Shs304.4bn to counter coronavirus

Uganda will spend Shs304.4bn ($80.6m) over the next three months on its coronavirus pandemic response, according to a supplementary budget request presented to parliament this week
The offices of the Ministry of Finance in Kampala.
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