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RELATIONS WITH THE EU

The European Union and Uganda

Our cooperation with Uganda aims to respond to the country’s most pressing needs, which include fostering sustainable development, improving national and regional transport connections and strengthening the agricultural sector to improve ordinary people’s livelihoods.

Uganda has a keen political and economic interest in its partnership with the European Union. Likewise, the EU has a major interest in the stability and prosperity of Uganda, a key partner and player in the volatile Great Lakes and Horn of Africa regions. The EU on a whole is Uganda's largest development cooperation partner, providing grants from the European Development Fund (EDF), from EU Member States present in Uganda and from the development instruments of the General Budget of the EU.

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Political Relations

The EU Delegation to Uganda supports the country’s efforts to proceed with electoral reforms, defend human rights, promote democratic governance and fight corruption. The Delegation also supports the Ugandan government’s commitment to improving peace and security in the East Africa region.

Our Delegation assumes the local Presidency of the EU in Uganda. It means that we are tasked with speaking on behalf of the EU in Uganda, reflecting common EU positions and spearheading EU values on Human Rights, Governance and Democracy. We work closely with the 10 EU Member States with their own diplomatic presence in Uganda and play a supportive role as regards diplomatic and consular protection of the Union's citizens in Uganda.

Economic and Trade Relations

Relations between the European Union and Uganda are mainly based on aid to development and trade. The political dialogue with the Government of Uganda remains key to foster sustainable growth. Our cooperation with Uganda aims to respond to the country's most pressing needs which include: 

  • Fostering sustainable development through sound economic policies and good governance.
  • Improving national and regional transport connections. 
  • Strengthening the agricultural sector and its potential and improving people’s livelihoods.

Humanitarian Support

In addition to the more medium to long-term development assistance, the EU also provides Uganda humanitarian aid through its Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG-ECHO). 

ECHO and the EU Member States are the largest providers of humanitarian aid in the world. Uganda generously hosts more than 1.4 million refugees from South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The EU has been at the forefront of funding life-saving relief such as food, shelter, medical treatment, education and other items for refugees. In 2022, the EU allocated €34 million in humanitarian aid to Uganda. Since 2017, the EU has supported humanitarian action in Uganda with more than €240 million in funding. 

For more info on ECHO see

Development Cooperation

Relations between the EU and Uganda in terms of development cooperation have been guided by the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) National Indicative Programme (NIP) 2014-2020 (11th EDF-NIP).

We are currently finalizing new programming for Uganda, to cover a seven-year period (2021-2028) directed towards three broad policy areas:

  • Green Partnerships.
  • Sustainable Growth and Jobs.
  • Democratic Governance and Social Inclusion.

Good Governance

Our work here involves:

  • Strengthening state functions relating to financial, democratic and social accountability.
  • Bolstering the oversight and control functions of the government executive.
  • Improving access to justice, protecting human rights and democracy, while strengthening investigative and legal institutions.

See also