Uganda Roundup: Human trafficking, oil import, diaspora remittance
Human trafficking collaboration with Thailand
During her visit to Thailand between 12 – 24 March 2024, Uganda's Ambassador to Thailand Betty Oyella Bigombe called on Thai Vice Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow to discuss expanding economic cooperation, reaffirming commitments to development cooperation, and combating human trafficking. Both countries also emphasized the need for comprehensive measures to provide humanitarian assistance to Ugandan nationals lured by traffickers to work in illegal compounds in Thailand's neighbouring countries, Pattaya Mail reported.
Tanzania oil import deal
Tanzania has offered the Uganda National Oil Company (Unoc) the Dar es Salaam port for fuel importation, despite Kenya's steadfast position on Kampala's oil importation demands. Uganda’s grievance at the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) case remains pending, highlighting tensions between Uganda and Kenya over oil importation policies. Presidents William Ruto of Kenya, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, and Samia Suluhu of Tanzania convened a rare tripartite meeting in Zanzibar to resolve the standoff and ensure the smooth importation of petroleum and other goods, The Exchange Africa reported.
Growth of diaspora remittances
Uganda's diaspora remittances reached $1.42 billion in the 12 months ending January 2024, a 13.4% increase from the $1.25 billion recorded in the previous year. According to the Bank of Uganda, this growth underscores the crucial role of diaspora inflows in the nation's economy, which has become a critical source of external finance for low- and middle-income countries.
9.2 million Ugandans illiterate
Nearly 9.2 million Ugandans, including two out of every 10 aged 15 and above, are illiterate, according to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics. The Uganda Demographic and Health Survey also shows that 9% of women and 4% of men in the East African nation lack formal education. Despite this, Didacus Okoth, the spokesperson of Ubos hopes that literacy levels will decrease as more Ugandans adopt Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE), local media the Monitor reports. “Our progress reports indicate that each year, the literacy levels increase, even among poor communities that have embraced UPE and USE. But we need to address the issue of school dropout to ensure learners complete the education cycle,” Okoth is quoted by the Monitor.
Mechanisation of sugar factory
The Ugandan government has invested Shs 108 billion (about $27.7 million) in the Atiak Sugar Factory located in Amuru district in Northern Uganda to purchase new equipment, aiming to mechanise the factory's sugarcane plantation and make it a leading sugar producer in the region, Pulse Uganda reported. The investment includes tractors, trucks, bulldozers, and advanced irrigation systems. 70% of the equipment has arrived, with 30% expected by November, according to Patrick Birungi, UDC's Executive Director. "Our ultimate goal is to achieve complete mechanization from start to finish," Dr. Birungi said, emphasizing the project's scope. "This encompasses everything from the irrigation systems to the harvesting process – the entire operation will be mechanized," he is quoted by Pulse Uganda.
