The European Union (EU) has committed €48 million to support sustainable forest management and conservation in Uganda, strengthening efforts to combat deforestation and boost value-added forest products.
Announcing the funding during a partnership meeting at the Office of the Prime Minister in Kampala, EU Ambassador to Uganda, Jan Sadek, emphasized the EU’s long-standing cooperation with Uganda in environmental conservation. He revealed that €40 million will come from the EU, with an additional €8 million contributed by Denmark.
“The EU has committed €40 million to the partnership, with an additional €8 million from Denmark,” Sadek said, adding that regular political dialogue at ministerial and technical levels will enhance transparency, governance, and collaboration in forestry programmes.
The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Nabbanja Robinah and attended by Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka, Minister for Trade and Cooperatives Francis Mwebesa, Minister for Karamoja Affairs Peter Lokeris, State Minister for Energy Okasai Opolot, and other technical officers.
Prime Minister Nabbanja reiterated the directive by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to prioritize the export of value-added forest products instead of raw timber. “This vision is essential not only for the sustainability of our forests but also for driving the transformation of Uganda’s economy,” she said.
She reaffirmed the government’s firm stance on the ban of raw timber exports. “I urge all relevant working committees—both technical and political—and our law enforcement bodies to maintain vigilance to uphold this policy,” Nabbanja said.
The EU-Uganda Forest Partnership, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding signed in November 2022 at the UN Climate Conference in Egypt and strengthened by a roadmap in June 2023, targets key areas including forest restoration, law enforcement, and the development of timber and non-timber value chains.
Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka stressed the importance of aligning timber harvesting with reforestation efforts. “The MoU should clearly show how timber harvesting corresponds with trees planted so that the country does not run short of forests,” he advised.
Ambassador Sadek praised Uganda’s commitment to forest governance and affirmed continued EU support. “Forest preservation is critical in the global fight against climate change,” he said.
Uganda’s high reliance on biomass, currently at 90%, was flagged as a major issue requiring urgent interventions for sustainable energy solutions. Other concerns raised included the effectiveness of the National Forestry Authority and enforcement gaps in forest protection.
Uganda currently manages about 1.6 million acres of forest sustainably, with support from partners such as the EU and UNODC in tackling forest crimes and improving governance.
