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Uganda and UNESCO sign host country agreement upgrading the UNESCO project office status to antennae office
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Minister of Foreign Affairs Abubakhar Jeje Odongo together with the Director UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office for Eastern Africa, Haxthausen Louise have signed a Host Country Agreement upgrading the UNESCO Office in Uganda, from its current status as a Project Office to an Antennae Office.
While the Project Office in Kampala has maintained a presence in Uganda since 2010, and overseen the implementation of key strategic interventions in the country that have galvanized the education sector in the country, the office’s status as a project-based office in the country has had a number of underlying challenges on the overall office’s operation. This has included cascading effects on the smooth implementations of the programmes and projects in the country.
The Project Office in Kampala currently works in collaboration with the Government of Uganda, Civil Society, Private Sector and development partners within the UN Delivering as One framework with other UN Agencies to develop and strengthen policies and programmes with the aim to further the building of peace, poverty eradication, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information.
Speaking at the signing event, Haxthausen Louise explained that the Antenna Office status comes with enhanced collaboration avenues that would enable the office to gain direct access to UNESCO’s vast network of experts, resources, and technical support, enabling it to address resource challenges more effectively and implement high-impact projects that align with UNESCO’s priorities.
“The establishment of the Seat Agreement in Uganda will expand and reinforce the continued collaboration between the Government of Uganda and UNESCO and support the collective commitment and efforts in advancing shared objectives in the country in all areas of competence of UNESCO, namely Education, Sciences, Social and Human Sciences, Culture, Communication and Information,” said Haxthausen Louise.
Minister Odongo called the moment “pivotal” in Uganda’s partnership with UNESCO.
“With this Agreement in place, I believe that going forward the operations of UNESCO in Uganda will be seamless and shall be able to work with partners in Uganda government and others in a more coherent and synchronized manner.”
Uganda has been a member of UNESCO since October 25, 1962.
The organization has been involved in various initiatives and projects in Uganda, aimed at supporting the country’s development in the fields of Education, Sciences, Culture, and Communication, mostly through the National Commission for UNESCO (UNATCOM) which was established in September 1963.
