Uganda – UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATION OF UGANDA

Uganda - Country Profile

Geography

Location: Uganda is a landlocked country located in Eastern Africa, west of Kenya, south of South Sudan, east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and north of Rwanda and Tanzania.

Population

Total: Approximately 48,896,566 as of November 07, 2022
Women: 24,665,228
Men: 24,659,554
Youth: Uganda has the world’s youngest population with over 78% of its population below the age of 30 Population Growth Rate: 3.04%

Languages spoken

Official Languages: English and Swahili
Commonly Spoken languages: Luganda, Runyankole, Lusoga & Luo

Economy

Uganda is a capitalist Economy
GDP: Uganda’s GDP is expected to reach USD 34 Billion by the end of 2023
Growth Rate: GDP Annual Growth Rate in Uganda averaged 5.02% from 2009 until 2022, reaching an all-time high of 13.30% in the second quarter of 2021

Politics

Uganda is a Presidential Republic in which the President is the executive head of state while the Prime Minister oversees government business. There is a multi-party system of government in place. Executive power is exercised by the President and the Cabinet while the Parliament and Courts of Judicature exercise the legislative and judicial functions of government respectively. Independence: Uganda got its independence from Colonial Britain on 9th October 1962

The African Union(AU)

Uganda Joined the AU on 25 May 1963. On 3rd February 2022, the Republic of Uganda was elected as a member of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union at its 40th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council that was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 2nd to 3rd February – https://www.mofa.go.ug/data/dnews/799/Uganda%20Elected%20to%20The%20Peace%20and%20Security%20Council%20of%20the%20African%20Union.html

The East African Community (EAC)

Uganda is a founding member of the EAC and joined it in the year 2000. It hosts 3 institutions of the Community: The East African Development Bank (EADB), the Civil Aviation Safety and Security Oversight Agency (CASSOA) and the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) – https://www.eac.int/eac-partner-states/uganda

The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)

Uganda Joined the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) on 21 December, 1981. The country was integrated into the COMESA Free Trade Area (FTA) from 23 March 2015 and currently grants duty-free access on imported goods coming from other COMESA FTA Member Countries – https://www.comesa.int/uganda/

Uganda’s Current Development Instruments

National Development Plan (NDP)

Uganda is currently implementing the NDPIII and it stipulates the Country’s medium term strategic direction, development priorities and implementation strategies. In addition, it details Uganda’s current development status, challenges and opportunities. The NDPIII is the third in a series of six NDPs that will guide the nation in delivering the aspirations articulated in Uganda Vision 2040 – http://www.npa.go.ug/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/NDPIII-Finale_Compressed.pdf

Uganda’s Vision 2040

It is conceptualized around strengthening the fundamentals of the economy to harness the abundant opportunities around the country. The opportunities include; oil and gas, tour-ism, minerals, ICT business, abundant labour force, geographical location and trade, water resources, industrialization, and agriculture – http://www.npa.go.ug/uganda-vision-2040/