Ambassador Visits South West Uganda

U.S. Ambassador Jerry P Lanier, and USAID S09 Team leader Michael Ronning [on his right] pose with different political party members in Masaka District.

On Tuesday January 18th, 2011, U.S. Ambassador to Uganda Jerry P. Lanier accompanied by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Director Dave Eckerson led an inter-agency team on a four-day tour of nine development program sites in South West Uganda in the districts of Kisoro, Kabale, Ntungamo, Mbarara, Bushenyi and Masaka.

The major objectives of this visit were to tour USAID funded projects in the area, assess programmatic impact on the livelihoods of people and meet with local government officials to discuss relevant issues. The programs visited were: the Batwa Development Program, Bwindi Community Hospital, Marie Stopes Uganda, Ntungamo Fruit Dryers Association, Hospice Africa Uganda, Ankole Tea Estate Health Clinic, Kabeihura Farmers Ltd., Ishaka Hospital and the Timothy Centre. Ambassador Lanier met with district officials in the Kisoro and Ntungamo districts and participated in a roundtable discussion with the Masaka Electoral Commission, political parties, civil society organizations and others in support of democracy, good governance and accountability.

USAID is the United States Government’s primary implementer of foreign assistance programs and Uganda is among the largest USAID programs in sub-Saharan Africa.  The portfolio includes projects to support each of the U.S. Mission’s foreign policy objectives in peace and security, governing justly and democratically, investing in people, economic growth and humanitarian assistance.  In 2011, USAID is beginning the implementation of a new Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) that reflects the Obama Administration’s Global Development Policy, which focuses on principles of aid effectiveness, alignment with host country priorities, innovation, evidence-based programming and sustainability.