America, Uganda partnership should mature into Trade – US Officials

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The United States Mission has underscored a need for it’s partnership with Uganda to mature into one that is based on trade and shared policy priorities.

This comes at a time when the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) marks its 60 years of partnership with Uganda.

The Agency that started on 3rd November, 1961 by former US President John F. Kennedy has since Uganda’s independence in 1962 invested in the country’s health, education, agriculture, accountability and other sectors. USAID is the recognized U.S government single agency responsible for administering aid to foreign countries to promote social and economic development.

“We’re not here to do development work for development’s sake; USAID is here to advance and strengthen the enduring partnership between the United States and Uganda,” said Richard Nelson the USAID Mission Director. We’re here to help Uganda achieve its ambitions set forth in the Vision 2040. We’re here to see the partnership between our two countries mature into one that’s based on trade and shared global policy priorities.”

According to Richard Nelson, the U.S agency has supported many countries that have successfully transitioned from low – to middle or even high-income status and that 14 of the top 15 trading partners with the U.S currently are former recipients of the U.S government assistance.

“Seven of those are current or former recipients of assistance through USAID,” Nelson said. “That is always the goal to offer assistance to partner countries in hopes that our partnership can mature beyond assistance. And that is what we hope our partnership with Uganda is like- we want our partnership to be about policy and trade and less about assistance.”

According to the USAID Mission Director, the agency has since 2020 to date invested 5.64 trillion Shillings (US Dollars 1.5 billion) in the country. He however hastened to add that dollar amounts are meaningless unless there is real impact behind the effort.

Some of the key USAID program impact highlighted by the US Mission is the Early grade reading efforts since 2010 that has benefited 3.2 million school children in 10,000 schools, participation in the establishment of the National Agriculture Research Organization (NARO), the first U.S President’s Emergency Plan for AIDs Relief (PEPFAR) grant extended to the Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC), allowing the centre become a pioneer for expanding access to antiretroviral therapy and others.

During the first round of the PEPFAR grant, 100,000 Ugandans began treatment from 2003 to 2010 and today, 1.3 million Ugandans receive ARV treatment provided by the United States.

The U.S. Ambassador Natalie E. Brown notes that the U.S government is the largest supporter of healthcare in Uganda and that they are committed to continue the partnership with the Ministry of Health as Uganda’s health care system strengthens across the board.

“We believe that in working with other countries to contribute to their development, true and equal partnership is absolutely essential. USAID programs touch the work of nearly every government ministry,” said the U.S. Ambassador.

*****

URN