By Caroline N
Uganda and Ireland have reaffirmed their commitment to accelerating development in the Karamoja sub-region following high level discussions on the implementation of the Karamoja Regional Development Plan (KRDP), with a renewed focus on education, youth skilling, women’s economic empowerment and stronger coordination among development partners.
The discussions took place during a meeting between the Permanent Secretary of the Office of the Prime Minister, Mr Alex Kakooza, and the Ambassador of Ireland to Uganda, H.E. Mags Gaynor, at the ministry headquarters in Kampala.
Ireland currently chairs the Karamoja Development Partners Group, which coordinates support from development partners towards the implementation of the KRDP.
During the meeting, both sides agreed to mobilise development partners to align their programmes with the priorities of the Karamoja Regional Development Plan.
They also resolved to prioritise investments in youth skilling, women’s economic empowerment, education infrastructure, school feeding and social protection for older persons
The meeting was attended by Tonny Ameny, Assistant Commissioner for Programmes in Karamoja, alongside technical officers from the Ministry of Education and Sports and the Embassy of Ireland.
Participants underscored the importance of strengthening stakeholder engagement to ensure the effective implementation of the Karamoja Regional Development Plan and maximise the impact of development programmes across the sub-region.
Karamoja continues to face development challenges, including poverty, food insecurity and limited access to essential social services.
Through coordinated government and partner interventions under the KRDP, Uganda aims to improve livelihoods, expand access to quality education, strengthen resilience and promote sustainable socio-economic transformation across the region.
Ireland remains one of Uganda’s longstanding development partners, supporting programmes in education, livelihoods, climate resilience, refugee management and community development.
The renewed commitment is expected to further strengthen collaboration between the Government of Uganda and development partners in delivering lasting improvements for the people of Karamoja.