Financial and Technical Cooperation between Germany and Uganda goes back more than thirty years. Whilst conflicts and oppressive regimes marred the country’s development in the first decades after independence, since 1986 most parts of the country have been peaceful and the necessary frameworks for social and economic development have now been established.

Uganda remains a low-income country, with around 38 percent of its people living in poverty.  Nevertheless, many significant successes have been recorded. Poverty alleviation measures are given high priority within the national Poverty Eradication Action Plan.  This provides the framework within which GTZ now cooperates with its Ugandan partners and pursues strategies to help them.  Until recently, internal conflict hindered development in the northern regions. The ongoing peace process has yet to be concluded, but the situation in the North is much improved and development strategies are being devised to assist its economic recovery.  

German and Ugandan bilateral cooperation increased considerably when the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) declared Uganda a priority partner country. At their last negotiations in April 2007, the German and Ugandan counterparts agreed that this cooperation should be concentrated on three focal areas:

• Financial sector
• Water sector
• Energy sector

However, this does not preclude GTZ from working in other fields. Projects continue in areas as varied as vocational training, refugee works, food security and justice, law and order.