Latest Embassy News
The United States, Uganda Sign Open-Skies Air Services Agreement
On Tuesday, October 27, in Atlanta, at the U.S. Trade and Development Agency’s Conference on African Aviation, the United States and Uganda signed an Open-Skies air services agreement.
Uganda’s Minister of Transport, the Honorable John Nasasira, and Susan Kurland, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs, signed for their respective governments.
The Agreement, which entered into force upon signature, reflects the close and growing cooperation in developing economic ties between the United States and Uganda.
The United States has concluded over 90 Open Skies accords with economies around the world, including 20 such agreements on the continent of Africa.
With accelerating passenger numbers and increasing cargo volume, sub-Saharan Africa faces major challenges to its aviation infrastructure, Ministers from seven African nations and senior civil aviation and airport company officials who met at the U.S. – Sub-Saharan Africa Partners in Aviation Summit, acknowledged.
The summit was sponsored by U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA).
Meeting with USTDA, U.S. Department of Transportation, the Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. business community, participants strengthened strategic and commercial relationships that support aviation infrastructure development, project financing, and air traffic safety and security.
With investment from individual African governments and bilateral and multilateral investors, the region is poised to improve its aviation infrastructure offering significant opportunities for U.S. aviation firms.
“A healthy aviation sector is good for economic development,” said James A. Wilderotter, USTDA’s General Counsel who spoke today. “Without exaggeration, aviation is a catalyst for growth and prosperity in Africa and around the world.”
“Although the benefits of aviation transcend national boundaries, the strength of the sector depends in large part on decisions that are made on the national level.”
Citing examples of projects in Africa where efforts are underway to improve aviation safety, Wilderotter said that USTDA has collaborated closely with local partners to develop public-private partnerships that are working toward modernizing and upgrading airport infrastructure.
“The conference profiled 90 upcoming aviation projects in 25 countries in Africa,” Wilderotter said. “Holding this event in Atlanta gives U.S. companies the opportunity to demonstrate the value of their products and services to potential clients in emerging markets across Africa.”
In the summit meeting, Ministers from Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Namibia Tanzania, and Uganda discussed strategies for a safe and secure aviation infrastructure development and how it can help attract investment in industries that generate significant local employment opportunities, raise incomes, and help elevate people out of poverty.
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Kenyan born U.S soldier inspires Kitgum students
Students of Kitgum High School could not help but wonder how lucky and privileged he was when they heard his name ‘Okumu’. “How did one ‘Okumu’ become an American soldier?” Within no time, word spread around the school that there was a Luo in the U.S Army. Soon, a crowd gathered around the young Staff Sergeant, asking him all kinds of questions “Ningo, Itie” (How are you?) they kept asking him in Luo and he would replied, “Atie Maber” (Am fine thanks) to their amazement.
From making small conversations with individual students, Staff Sergeant John Okumu found himself addressing a crowd of more than 100 students some of who braved the scotching 11am sunshine, like he did, to listen to him. Next to an old, abandoned, dilapidated classroom block, Okumu answered the burning questions of the enthusiastic and intrigued students about his life and how he got recruited to the U.S Army.
“Education is the key, determination is important,” he told them. “You must be ready to sacrifices pleasures in order to excel and the rest will come easy. There are no shortcuts to life; hard work, honesty and discipline are my pillars of success. These three can be the pillars to your success too if you are ready to embarrass them and live by them. I did and so can you.”
John Okumu is part of a team of U.S Army officers in Uganda deployed for an army exercise code named ‘Natural Fire 10’. A Staff Sergeant attached to the TSC based in Germany, Okumu is part of the section in this team providing logistical support for the U.S Army during a military exercise code named Natural Fire 10. The U.S Army chose Okumu to be part of the advance team because of his language skills in speaking two East African local languages; Swahili and Luo. Born in the Kisumu area in Kenya, an area predominantly inhabited by the Kenyan Luo community, Okumu’s family later moved to the capital Nairobi where he was raised and schooled at Huruma Primary School(Class1-2), Jogoo Road Primary School (Class 3-8) and Nairobi Secondary (Now called Nairobi Milimani Secondary School). He later attended several colleges in Nairobi before he moved to the coastal town of Mombasa in 1996 where he worked for Span Freight Limited on Moi Avenue. In 2000, after making enough money, Okumu quit his job and moved to the United States to pursue studies in Journalism at Lincoln University Missouri. He later moved to Southwest Missouri State University where he continued with his journalism studies. In 2003, Okumu got a Green Card which gave him permanent residence in the U.S. In 2004, he joined the U.S Army and after training, he was deployed in Iraq between 2004-2005 and later 2006-2007. He was later deployed at the AFRICOM headquarters in Germany before he was sent to Uganda. Okumu says he is happy to be in Africa, particularly close to the country of his birth. “This is the first humanitarian deployment I have received and I am honoured to be here. I go back to Kenya at least twice a year to visit relatives and being in northern Uganda make me feel closer to Kenya. I am happy to give back and to give hope to others so that they too can succeed like I am.”
Okumu is instrumental to the U.S Army team since he can speak both Swahili and Luo. This means that he can coordinate communication between the UPDF and the U.S Army, and between the locals and the U.S Army.
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American Documentary Showcase
The American Documentary Showcase program is designed to promote American documentaries and their film makers at U.S. Embassy-supported events/and or U.S. embassy-supported international documentary film festivals.
The showcase is funded through a Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) grant to the University Film and Video Association (UFVA) in Partnership with the International Documentary Association (IDA).
Hunger Knows No Borders
Tom Vilsack
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture
This weekend I was in Italy with agriculture secretaries and ministers from the Group of Eight (G8) countries for the first-ever Agriculture Ministerial in G8 history. What brought the world’s wealthiest countries together for this meeting is a shared commitment to eliminating hunger and making sure food gets into the hands of those who need it most.
The global recession and financial crisis have pushed more and more people to seek assistance feeding their families. Last year's food riots demonstrate that food insecurity threatens the health of vulnerable populations and puts our nation's economic and national security at risk. Global leadership on this issue is more important than ever as we face the reality of a world population that’s growing by 79 million people each year, a rate that may in our lifetimes challenge our capacity to produce enough food. Committing to food security is both our moral obligation and a key strategy in promoting economic development and global stability.
America’s proud food aid legacy began after World War II and today we remain the world’s largest food aid supplier. Over the past 10 years, the U.S. has supplied roughly 55 percent of total food assistance, and America is on track to provide more than $5.5 billion to fight global hunger in 2008 and 2009. This is a remarkable achievement made possible by the U.S. agricultural community, the work of private voluntary organizations and U.S. commodity and industry groups, and our citizens' longstanding commitment to sharing America’s bounty with those less fortunate. Every sector of the U.S. economy — from farmers to processors, truckers, distributors, shippers, and many others — deserves credit for America’s leadership on this important issue.
As the world’s richest nations met to develop strategies to tackle food insecurity and partnerships to deal with future food emergencies, I wanted the world’s hungry to know that President Obama is taking action on the pledge he made in his inaugural address: “To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds.”
Earlier this month, President Obama met in London with leaders of the Group of Twenty to establish a coordinated response to the international economic crisis. At that meeting he announced that he would ask Congress to double U.S. financial support for agricultural development in poor countries to $1 billion in 2010. A week later, at the International Food Aid Conference in Kansas City, I announced an additional $80 million to fund four more McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition projects in Africa that will feed 655,000 children. The McGovern-Dole program is an innovative idea authored by anti-hunger leaders Bob Dole and George McGovern that combines food aid and educational development. To date the program has provided meals to more than 22 million children in 41 countries and boosted school attendance by an estimated 14 percent overall, and by 17 percent for girls. I am committed to increasing funding for this important program to ensure that millions more children have access to healthy food and an education.
Why are these actions important? With his request to Congress, President Obama has demonstrated a commitment to arresting the vicious cycle of poverty and hunger now enveloping more than one billion of the world’s people. The President’s action will help developing countries boost the productivity of their land and build prosperity among their rural poor.
The scourges of malnutrition and hunger know no borders. At this weekend’s G8 agriculture meeting, we worked to tackle this critical issue together. As I told my counterparts in Italy, and have told our citizens at home, President Obama and I are committed to - and taking action to achieve — a food supply that is safe, sufficient and nutritious for people around the world.
(Tom Vilsack is the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.)
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Barack Obama: A time for global action
By Barack Obama
Tribune Media Services
Monday, March 23, 2009
WASHINGTON: We are living through a time of global economic challenges that cannot be met by half measures or the isolated efforts of any nation. Now, the leaders of the Group of 20 have a responsibility to take bold, comprehensive and coordinated action that not only jump-starts recovery, but also launches a new era of economic engagement to prevent a crisis like this from ever happening again.
No one can deny the urgency of action. A crisis in credit and confidence has swept across borders, with consequences for every corner of the world. For the first time in a generation, the global economy is contracting and trade is shrinking.
Trillions of dollars have been lost, banks have stopped lending, and tens of millions will lose their jobs across the globe. The prosperity of every nation has been endangered, along with the stability of governments and the survival of people in the most vulnerable parts of the world.
Once and for all, we have learned that the success of the American economy is inextricably linked to the global economy. There is no line between action that restores growth within our borders and action that supports it beyond.
If people in other countries cannot spend, markets dry up — already we've seen the biggest drop in American exports in nearly four decades, which has led directly to American job losses. And if we continue to let financial institutions around the world act recklessly and irresponsibly, we will remain trapped in a cycle of bubble and bust. That is why the upcoming London Summit is directly relevant to our recovery at home.
My message is clear: The United States is ready to lead, and we call upon our partners to join us with a sense of urgency and common purpose. Much good work has been done, but much more remains.
Our leadership is grounded in a simple premise: We will act boldly to lift the American economy out of crisis and reform our regulatory structure, and these actions will be strengthened by complementary action abroad. Through our example, the United States can promote a global recovery and build confidence around the world; and if the London Summit helps galvanize collective action, we can forge a secure recovery, and future crises can be averted.
Our efforts must begin with swift action to stimulate growth. Already, the United States has passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act — the most dramatic effort to jump-start job creation and lay a foundation for growth in a generation.
Other members of the G-20 have pursued fiscal stimulus as well, and these efforts should be robust and sustained until demand is restored. As we go forward, we should embrace a collective commitment to encourage open trade and investment, while resisting the protectionism that would deepen this crisis.
Second, we must restore the credit that businesses and consumers depend upon. At home, we are working aggressively to stabilize our financial system. This includes an honest assessment of the balance sheets of our major banks, and will lead directly to lending that can help Americans purchase goods, stay in their homes and grow their businesses.
This must continue to be amplified by the actions of our G-20 partners. Together, we can embrace a common framework that insists upon transparency, accountability and a focus on restoring the flow of credit that is the lifeblood of a growing global economy. And the G-20, together with multilateral institutions, can provide trade finance to help lift up exports and create jobs.
Third, we have an economic, security and moral obligation to extend a hand to countries and people who face the greatest risk. If we turn our backs on them, the suffering caused by this crisis will be enlarged, and our own recovery will be delayed because markets for our goods will shrink further and more American jobs will be lost.
The G-20 should quickly deploy resources to stabilize emerging markets, substantially boost the emergency capacity of the International Monetary Fund and help regional development banks accelerate lending. Meanwhile, America will support new and meaningful investments in food security that can help the poorest weather the difficult days that will come.
While these actions can help get us out of crisis, we cannot settle for a return to the status quo. We must put an end to the reckless speculation and spending beyond our means; to the bad credit, over-leveraged banks and absence of oversight that condemns us to bubbles that inevitably bust.
Only coordinated international action can prevent the irresponsible risk-taking that caused this crisis. That is why I am committed to seizing this opportunity to advance comprehensive reforms of our regulatory and supervisory framework.
All of our financial institutions — on Wall Street and around the globe — need strong oversight and common sense rules of the road. All markets should have standards for stability and a mechanism for disclosure. A strong framework of capital requirements should protect against future crises. We must crack down on offshore tax havens and money laundering.
Rigorous transparency and accountability must check abuse, and the days of out-of-control compensation must end. Instead of patchwork efforts that enable a race to the bottom, we must provide the clear incentives for good behavior that foster a race to the top.
I know that America bears our share of responsibility for the mess that we all face. But I also know that we need not choose between a chaotic and unforgiving capitalism and an oppressive government-run economy. That is a false choice that will not serve our people or any people.
This G-20 meeting provides a forum for a new kind of global economic cooperation. Now is the time to work together to restore the sustained growth that can only come from open and stable markets that harness innovation, support entrepreneurship and advance opportunity.
The nations of the world have a stake in one another. The United States is ready to join a global effort on behalf of new jobs and sustainable growth. Together, we can learn the lessons of this crisis, and forge a prosperity that is enduring and secure for the 21st century.
Barack Obama is president of the United States. A Global Viewpoint article distributed by Tribune Media Services.
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The United States Joins Uganda in Commemorating World Tuberculosis
Almost a century ago, America was locked in a battle against tuberculosis (TB), which killed thousands annually and was one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Today, even though a cure for drug-sensitive TB has existed for more than 50 years, TB remains a major cause of death worldwide. It is a disease that hits the poorest and most vulnerable groups, especially women and children. This is why the World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes a day each year, World Tuberculosis Day on March 24th, to call attention to the disease and to mobilize action to combat it.
The American people are making major investments to prevent and control TB in countries around the world where the burden of the disease is highest. Through our active engagement in the STOP TB Partnership, we are a key partner in intense global efforts to achieve the Partnership’s Global Plan targets to halve TB prevalence and deaths by 2015 relative to 1990 levels. There is good news to share. According to The 2009 Global Tuberculosis Control Report, released today by the WHO, TB prevalence and death rates are falling globally, while detection of new cases of TB and access to high-quality anti-TB treatments are on the rise.
In Uganda, TB continues to be a major health problem; it is one of 20 countries worldwide with a ‘high TB burden’ ranking. Statistically, 60% of TB patients screened in Uganda are HIV positive and overall TB detection rates are below global targets. Estimates are that only 51% of Ugandans with TB are detected (global target is 70%) and 67% of Ugandans are successfully treated (global target is 85%).
This year, the American people will support the Ministry of Health and districts governments by investing nearly US$11 million in TB funding to deliver integrated services for both TB and HIV. U.S. funding is implemented through 19 local partners covering 524 service outlets nationwide.
Support includes dissemination of national policy guidelines, training of health workers on intensive case finding and HIV/TB co-management, TB infection control, laboratory quality improvement, and strengthening of logistics and health management information systems at national and district levels.
U.S.-supported efforts to date are demonstrating significant improvement in their TB/HIV outcomes as a result of technical and financial support in integrating TB/HIV services into their overall district plans. For example, we are seeing rapid improvements in key TB and TB/HIV indicators including TB case detection and treatment success. In addition, the district joint TB/HIV work plans are proving a strong advocacy tool for resource mobilization and district ownership. We already know that the co-location of TB and HIV services improves access to both services for all patients.
During 2008 alone, the United States supported ART funding to 12,770 HIV-positive TB patients and HIV counseling and testing to 17,783 TB patients.
However, much work remains to be done. Neither Africa nor Europe is on track to meet the targets. Because HIV fuels the TB epidemic, the number of HIV-positive TB cases and deaths are twice what was previously thought. Multi-drug resistant (MDR) TB threatens to undermine years of progress in TB control, because the treatment requires different and more costly drugs. New approaches to diagnose TB, coupled with improved health delivery systems and stronger community awareness, are critical to earlier detection and treatment.
The United States remains fully committed to working with all of our partners to renew the charge against TB. The American people have donated US$3.3 billion to the Global Fund (GF) since 2002. Almost US$1.71 billion has been approved by the GF for Phase 1 and Phase 2 TB grants in 91 countries. Global Fund investments have provided 3.9 million people with treatment for tuberculosis.
The United States is the largest single-country bilateral donor for TB, and since 1998 it has provided more than US$777 million to global TB control programs. The United States is a leading donor to the Global TB Drug Facility to expand access to, and availability of, high-quality anti-TB drugs, providing nearly US$15 million in 2008. More than 450,000 patients will benefit from this life-saving assistance from the American people.
On World Tuberculosis Day, the United States renews its pledge to work with countries and the international community to successfully implement the Global Plan to Stop TB. The lives of millions of people across the globe depend on true international cooperation.
Steven Browning
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U.S. EMBASSY KAMPALA HOSTS INAUGURATION NIGHT EVENT
Ambassador Browning urges Ugandans to prepare for democracy in 2011 elections
On January 20, 2009, Ambassador Steven A. Browning hosted an Inauguration Night event at his residence. Guests, who included senior Uganda cabinet ministers, government officials, Members of Parliament, representatives of political parties, academia and media, witnessed the swearing in of President Barack Obama. Ambassador Browning delivered a short speech in which in he celebrated the transition of power in America and urged Ugandans to prepare for their multi-party democracy to hold elections that reflect the people's will in 2011. Following is the full text of the Ambassador’s speech:
Thank you for coming this evening to join us as we observe the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States of America, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois. Barack Obama will be our 44th President, but this will be our 56th inauguration. We have never failed, since the beginning of the process, to hold national elections no matter what the state of the Union or the world may have been.
We are here not to celebrate the victory of one candidate or political party over the other. We are here to celebrate the democratic process and institutions that, though far from perfect, have enabled the United States to conduct elections and peacefully pass power from one President to the next for the last 220 years.
By and large, this has been a process that has put the interests of country and the preservation of the union before the interests of individuals or regions or political parties. It has been a process in which nearly all Americans have trust and confidence. It has been a process in which millions of American citizens and a free, competent and responsible press have enthusiastically and actively participated.
I am acutely aware that it has been not just Americans who have followed this particular election in the United States. It has been watched closely around the world, but particularly here in Africa. By electing a man of African heritage to the highest office in our land, a country where American citizens of African heritage comprise only 12% of our population, the United States has taken another step forward in our democratic and cultural evolution.
We Americans have been on a long journey in terms of overcoming our history with slavery and the civil war that almost tore our country apart. We have been on a long journey overcoming wounds and eliminating race as a factor in our society. That journey is not over, but the inauguration of Barack Obama today will be an extraordinary step forward. I know how proud many Africans are to see one of your sons in the White House. You should know how proud we Americans are, as well.
Another recent election, here in Africa, was also significant and captured world attention. Ghana demonstrated to the world, but more importantly to the people of Ghana, that their country also continues its democratic evolution. A contentious, hotly contested election ended peacefully with a democratic transfer of power that reflected the will of the people. The people of Ghana should be congratulated for this accomplishment.
In Kenya and Zimbabwe, unfortunately, we saw different outcomes after their recent elections. Public trust and confidence were broken. Mistrust and violence ensued. The legitimacy of leaders was questioned because the veracity of the elections that brought them to power was in doubt. Governments that lack the mandates of their people cannot govern effectively and have problems promoting social harmony and achieving the development goals that are so important to them.
Since independence, Ugandans have made great efforts to build a functioning multi-party democracy that serves the needs and desires of its people. It has been an extremely difficult struggle, however, with most transitions of power marred by violence and insecurity.
The re-introduction of multi-party politics and the re-establishment of political parties provide an opportunity for you to further develop your democratic institutions so they can best serve the needs of all Ugandans.
Your elections to be held in 2011 will be an opportunity for you to show your commitment to the growth and development of your democracy. I urge you to prepare for these elections in ways that encourage and enable the largest number of Ugandan citizens and the press to get informed and participate freely and actively. I believe one standard for a good election would be one in which large numbers of well-informed Ugandans enthusiastically and freely participate.
American philosopher and educationalist John Dewey said that "Democracy begins in conversation." Citizens must be able to speak freely, assemble freely, associate freely, in order for democracy to flourish. The democratic conversation must extend to the ability of the press to question leaders and inform voters. The discussion must be a conversation, not a monologue on the part of any single individual or single party.
The U.S. Government and your other development partners stand ready to work with you as you prepare for your elections. I and my staff welcome the opportunity to discuss with you ways in which we can work together to help you as you prepare for these elections.
So once again, join us in celebrating tonight the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States of America, and another peaceful transition of power. Join us as we Americans celebrate the historic advance by our multi-cultural society this election represents. And, let us join you in expectation that in 2011 Ugandans also will be celebrating successful elections reflective of the will of the people. Thank you for joining us tonight and enjoy the evening.
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Peace Begins at Home
The "16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence" campaign runs from November 25 to December 10, 2008. The dates are not accidental: November 25 is the International Day Against Violence Against Women, and December 10 is International Human Rights Day. These 16 days are a bridge between thinking of gender violence as a "women's issue" and understanding it as a human rights concern that touches us all.
Deadly discrimination cuts short women's lives in every country and stalks us at every point in our life-cycle: from before birth, in sex-selective abortion and infanticide; to childhood death from neglect in food and medicine; to genital mutilation; so-called "honor" killings; dowry deaths; sex trafficking; rape; systematic mass rape and torture in war zones; inadequate maternal health care; and socially-sanctioned impoverishment of widows. Taken together, around the globe, one in three women will experience gender-based violence in her lifetime. In some regions of the world, that figure rises to 70 percent.
Across diverse cultures and societies, one element unifies this savagery: the willingness to dehumanize women.
These 16 days affirm women's rights in the world not in terms of what we do for our husbands or families, but simply in terms of who we are: human beings who deserve dignity, and the ability to go about our lives free from violence and fear.
For too many women, the place where we ought to feel most safe is sometimes the most dangerous. Women are more at risk of experiencing violence in intimate relationships than in any other aspect of our lives.
Domestic violence happens behind closed doors, making it easy to dismiss as a private issue or a tragedy of interest only to the affected family. But, the consequences of violence in the home radiate outward and upward, affecting communities and entire nations. In the US alone, the economic cost of domestic violence exceeds USD 5.8 billion per year in health care services and lost productivity. A 2004 study in the UK that computed both direct and indirect costs of domestic violence arrived at a figure of GBP 23 billion per year, or GBP 440 per citizen. Regardless of the society in which it takes place, domestic violence ruptures families. It breeds poverty, inequality, instability, and affects the standing of governments in the eyes of the world: the greatness of nations is always measured by how they treat their most at-risk citizens.
Most countries have laws that criminalize the assault component of domestic violence, but, according to a 2006 UN study, only 89 recognize the special combination of physical and emotional brutality – the particular circumstances brought about by the unique personal bonds between perpetrator and victim – that characterize domestic violence. Those laws are urgently needed.
We need partnerships between NGOs and legislative bodies, so their expertise and experience can inform the laws. And we need more thorough data collection, so that policies can be targeted and effective.
But laws and policies are empty gestures without stringent implementation and enforcement. Enforcement must recognize that domestic violence offenses have been separated from assault categories because their characteristics are different, and not because the crimes are any less serious.
We need consistent guidelines and training for police and social workers. We need courtroom procedures that allow privacy and confidentiality for victims – which can be as simple as allowing video testimony, or restricting courtroom access. We need expansion of the proven success of "one-stop centers" that offer interagency health and legal services for victims.
But most of all, we need political will from governments to adhere to international standards and norms. We need leaders who will insist -- loudly, frequently, and persistently – that women have equal worth, equal value, and deserve equal protection and respect.
A scant sixteen days will not accomplish these goals. But sixteen days are a start – a good start, if they can serve as the fuse that inspires us to examine our attitudes and take action all the other 349 days of the year.
Andrea Bottner is the Director of the State Department’s Office of International Women’s Issues. For more information on International Women’s Issues, visit http://www.state.gov/g/wi/.
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UNITED STATES FUNDS STUDY OF BIOFUELS IN UGANDA
GRANT TO ANALYZE POTENTIAL FOR A BIOFUELS MARKET IN UGANDA
The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) and the Ugandan Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development have signed a USD 572,000 grant to analyze the potential for a biofuels market in Uganda.
The grant, signed on August 28, 2008, will provide cost-benefit analysis on potential biofuel resources and technologies, as well as recommend appropriate industry regulations and potential incentives for the development of safe and responsible biofuel production.
Uganda's demand for energy is growing rapidly. At the same time, the country has experienced prolonged drought, reducing production at its hydroelectric power plants. These factors, along with rising global fuel prices, have led to substantial increases in energy costs that may constrain Uganda's economic growth if new energy investments are not made. The Ugandan Government has passed the Renewable Energy Policy to encourage the development of the country’s abundant renewable energy resources, especially biofuels.
An important objective of the agreement is to advise the Government of Uganda on how to mitigate the environmental and social impacts that may arise from the unregulated development of an indigenous biofuels sector. The two most serious risks are rainforest destruction and possible negative impacts on food supply and food prices.
"This grant supports Uganda’s Renewable Energy Policy, and particularly enhances the government’s efforts to design a regulatory framework that will encourage the development of a biofuels industry and increase energy security without jeopardizing the country’s food supply,” said U.S. Ambassador Steven Browning, who signed the grant on behalf of USTDA at a ceremony held at the Ministry of Energy.
Fred Kabagambe-Kaliisa, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, signed on behalf of the Government of Uganda.
U.S. companies interested in providing the assistance outlined in the grant USTDA awarded today should visit the Federal Business Opportunities website at www.fbo.gov. Interested U.S. firms should submit proposals according to the instructions contained in the Federal Business Opportunities announcement. The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development will select the U.S. contractor that will provide the USTDA-funded assistance.
About the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA)
USTDA advances economic development and U.S. commercial interests in developing and middle-income countries. The agency funds various forms of technical assistance, early investment analysis, training, orientation visits and business workshops that support the development of a modern infrastructure and a fair and open trading environment. USTDA’s strategic use of foreign assistance funds to support sound investment policy and decision-making in host countries creates an enabling environment for trade, investment and sustainable economic development. In carrying out its mission, USTDA gives emphasis to economic sectors that may benefit from U.S. exports of goods and services.
2008 HIV/AIDS Implementers' Meeting Takes Place in Kampala
70 Countries Gather to Discuss AIDS Programming
The 2008 HIV/AIDS Implementers’ Meeting opened on June 3 in Kampala, drawing more than 1,700 HIV/AIDS implementers from Uganda and throughout the world. More than 70 countries are represented at the meeting, a testament to the global partnerships to fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and a reflection of the conference theme, “Scaling Up Through Partnerships: Overcoming Obstacles to Implementation.”
H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda, opened the meeting noting “I would like to salute the human race who have confronted AIDS and scored some achievements.” He added, “Here in Uganda, we were able to analyze this sickness in the early years and came to the conclusion that it was stoppable.”
“You, the global implementers of HIV/AIDS and your partners, have proven the skeptics wrong,” said Ambassador Mark Dybul, PEPFAR Coordinator. “You knew what the skeptics did not – that seemingly ordinary people who appear to be without hope can do extraordinary things with a little support. As we step forward to meet the challenges before us, let’s do so with even more enthusiasm and hope.”
The meeting is being hosted by the Government of Uganda and co-sponsored by the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR); the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; UNAIDS; UNICEF; the World Bank; the World Health Organization (WHO); and the Global Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (GNP+).
“All partners present here in Kampala are driving a quiet revolution in the fight against AIDS, ” said Dr Michel Kazatchkine, Executive Director of the Global Fund. “Through our collective work, millions of people have been reached with effective treatment and care and are alive today thanks to this effort. Prevention activities are helping millions more to avoid HIV infection. By sharing lessons and coordinating our work better, we will eventually be able to control this pandemic.”
“In recent years, there has been significant progress and real results in scaling up HIV prevention, treatment, care and support,” said Dr Peter Piot, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “But for every two people starting treatment another five are newly infected with HIV. We must work in partnership to scale up this response, continuing to strengthen progress in treatment, as well as focusing attention upon the critical need to prevent new infections."
During the five-day conference, more than 200 abstracts will be presented by representatives from governments, non-governmental organizations including faith- and community-based groups, multilateral organizations, the private sector, and groups of people living with HIV/AIDS. Through presentations, dialogue and networking, participants will discuss critical barriers and share information that will directly impact HIV/AIDS program implementation in the coming years.
"We already know some of the difficulties in bringing to scale the prevention strategies necessary to reach an AIDS-free generation, provide treatment for children who need it, and care for those who have lost parents to AIDS,” said Jimmy Kolker, Chief of the HIV/AIDS Section at UNICEF. “But there are some outstanding examples of overcoming the obstacles and bottlenecks in order to reach our ambitious targets. By integrating services that benefit children and by acting together at the community as well as national level, we can ensure that children are no longer the invisible face of the HIV epidemic."
Recognizing the rapid expansion of HIV/AIDS programs worldwide, the focus of this year’s meeting is on building the capacity of local HIV prevention, treatment, and care programs; enhancing program quality; and promoting coordination among partners.
An archived webcast of sessions from the meeting will be provided by kaisernetwork.org, a free service of the Kaiser Family Foundation. The webcast and related online resources will be available following the meeting at: http://www.kaisernetwork.org/hivimplementers2008.
For more information on the meeting, please visit www.hivimplementers.org.
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Media Contacts:
Kristin Pugh (PEPFAR) +256 (0)714 101 054; Kirsi Viisainen (The Global Fund) +41 79 477 0310; Chiara Frisone (UNAIDS) +27 82 880 4729; Chulho Hyun (UNICEF) +256 (0)772 222 347;
Pat Leidl (WHO) +41 79 619 8525
Information about the host of the meeting:
The Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Health and the Uganda AIDS Commission (UAC) ensures a focused and harmonized response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic by the Government of Uganda. UAC provides strategic leadership by ensuring effective harmonization of the HIV/AIDS-related activities of the various players within agreed policy and program parameters. For more information about UAC, please visit www.aidsuganda.org/.
Information about the sponsors of the meeting:
The U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) employs the most diverse prevention, treatment and care strategy in the world, with an emphasis on transparency and accountability for results. The goals of the Emergency Plan’s first five years include support for treatment for two million HIV-infected people, support for prevention of seven million new infections, and support for care for 10 million people infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. For more information about PEPFAR, please visit http://www.pepfar.gov/.
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is a unique global public/private partnership dedicated to attracting and disbursing additional resources to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. This partnership between governments, civil society, the private sector and affected communities represents a new approach to international health financing. The Global Fund works in close collaboration with other bilateral and multilateral organizations to supplement existing efforts dealing with the three diseases. For more information about the Global Fund, please visit http://www.theglobalfund.org/.
UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, is an innovative joint venture of the United Nations, bringing together the efforts and resources of the UNAIDS Secretariat and ten UN system organizations in the AIDS response. The Secretariat headquarters is in Geneva, Switzerland—with staff on the ground in more than 80 countries. Coherent action on AIDS by the UN system is coordinated in countries through UN theme groups, and joint programmes on AIDS. UNAIDS’ Cosponsors include UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank. Visit the UNAIDS website at http://www.unaids.org/.
UNICEF is on the ground in over 150 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations, and governments. For more information, please visit http://www.unicef.org/.
The World Bank is engaged in the fight against AIDS, which is threatening to reverse the gains of development, to further its mission of fighting poverty. The World Bank provides comprehensive and sustainable financing for AIDS programs worldwide and to date has committed more than US $3.7 billion since 1988. For more information on the World Bank’s response to HIV/AIDS, please visit www.worldbank.org/aids.
The World Health Organization is the directing and coordinating authority on international health work and takes the lead in the United Nations system in the global health sector response to the AIDS epidemic. For more information, please visit http://www.who.int/.
The Global Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (GNP+) is a global network for and by people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV). Its overall aim is to improve the quality of life of PLHIV. The work of GNP+ is guided by the Global Advocacy Agenda, which consists of three key areas: (i) Promoting universal access to HIV/AIDS care, treatment and prevention; (ii) Combating stigma and discrimination; and (iii) Promoting the greater and more meaningful involvement of PLHIV. GNP+ is the only international network representing the diverse voices of all PLHIV. As a network based on emancipation and self-determination, GNP+ nurtured the development of six fully independent regional networks of PLHIV covering Africa (NAP+), Asia (APN+), the Caribbean (CRN+), Europe (GNP+ Europe), Latin America (REDLa+) and North America (GNP+ NA). Elected representatives from these networks form the GNP+ Board. For more information, please visit http://www.gnpplus.net/.
Latest Embassy News
United States Takes Steps To Combat Climate Change
By Jerry P. Lanier
Today (September 22, 2009), U.S. President Barack Obama will speak to world leaders on climate change during a special U.N. summit in New York on the eve of the 64th session of the U.N. General Assembly.
The nations of the world are working hard right now to negotiate a new international agreement to combat climate change.
Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing our world today. Already its impacts are apparent and consequences severe. The science sends a simple and stark message: All countries must work together to combat climate change and the time for action is now.
President Obama recognizes that the U.S. must be a leader in the global effort to combat climate change. We have a responsibility as the world’s largest historic emitter of greenhouse gases. We know that without U.S. emission reductions, no solution to climate change is possible, so the U.S. will take the lead in building a 21st Century clean energy economy.
President Obama is taking the U.S. in a new direction. The president called on the US Congress to develop a comprehensive clean energy legislation to cut emissions by 14% from 2005 levels and 83% in 2050. A bill has passed the House of Representatives and is making its way through Congress. The president’s economic stimulus package includes over $80b (sh176 trillion) for clean energy, and recently instituted vehicle standards will increase fuel economy and reduce emissions.
But action by the U.S. and other developed nations is not enough. To preserve a safe and livable planet, all major emitting nations have to join together to take strong action. Developed countries need to reduce their emissions substantially by 2020 on an absolute basis, compared to a 2005 or 1990 baseline.
Major developing nations must take actions that will substantially reduce their emissions by 2020 on a relative basis, compared to their so-called “business as usual” path. There is no other way to contain climate change — the International Energy Agency estimates 97% of future emissions growth will come from the developing world.
Other developing countries have a much different role to play. They should focus on preparing low carbon growth plans — with financial and technical assistance where needed — to guide their longer-term development path.
The reality is that a new agreement is critical for all countries and especially important for those most vulnerable to the dangerous impacts of climate change. And a new agreement will benefit developing countries.
It will provide financial and technological assistance both to lower emissions and to help countries adapt to the impacts of climate change. Be assured, a new agreement will not require developing countries to take steps that would stifle their capacity to develop and grow. All countries deserve the opportunity to lift their people out of poverty and raise their standard of living.
Ultimately, a climate change agreement must be not just about limiting carbon emissions but about providing a safe pathway for sustainable development. A new agreement must help answer the question of how the world can develop in the decades ahead without endangering our planet. Clean energy development is the only sustainable way forward.
To facilitate this path, countries with advanced capabilities must stand ready to develop and disseminate technologies to countries in need.
If we work together, the effort to build a clean energy global economy can provide significant opportunity, driving investment, economic growth and job creation around the world. And it can be a means to bring energy services to hundreds of millions of the world’s poor. In the world of communications, many developing countries skipped the stage of expensive and often inaccessible wired phone service, going directly to mobile phones. We can do the same in the world of energy — with the right support, developing countries can leapfrog dirty phases of development to low-carbon technologies and clean energy opportunities. We recognize that climate change has already had a dramatic impact on the lives of Ugandans. The U.S. is working with the Government and people of Uganda to address areas linked to changes in the local climate and mitigate their effects. For example, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has completed tree-planting programs by reforesting large tracts of land and trained farmers on irrigation and soil conservation techniques.
The new Agriculture and Food Security Initiative being launched by the Obama administration will invest millions of dollars over the next five years to help farmers adapt to the changing climate in Uganda. This program will help develop drought-resistant seeds, train farmers in new technologies, and develop irrigation infrastructure. The U.S. government has also launched programs this year to help Uganda take advantage of carbon sequestration credits to foster future development in the country.
Additionally, the U.S. will work with Ugandan authorities to preserve the natural biodiversity in Uganda and the region for future generations. The U.S. is clear in its intent to secure a strong international agreement, and I am confident that together we can meet the climate change challenge.
The writer is the U.S. Ambassador to Uganda