Rethinking How We Work Together: UN Country Team in Uganda Charts Bold Path Forward at Retreat

On 24–25 September 2025, the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) in Uganda convened at the Regional Service Centre in Entebbe (RSCE) for a two-day retreat, an event focused less on routine planning and more charting a bold new direction for the UN’s work in Uganda as the Organization approaches its 80th anniversary. 

The retreat provided an open and candid space for reflection, where participants agreed that the future of the UN’s work in Uganda lies in collaboration rather than fragmentation. “We must move from isolated projects to truly joint programmes that we co-design, co-implement, and co-own,” emphasized one participant - a sentiment met with nods across the room.

Opening the retreat, DCO Africa Director, Mr. Yacoub El Hilo, reminded the team that despite global conflicts, climate shocks, and shifting international commitments, the UN remains steadfast in championing multilateral solutions. 

“The UN must adapt by realigning resources with national priorities, leveraging pooled funds strategically, engaging the private sector, and exploring new financing tools such as diaspora bonds and development bank partnerships to maximize impact in Uganda,” he said.

Ms. Jane Mwesiga, Deputy Head of Public Service, underscored the importance of strong UN–Government collaboration. “Strengthening Uganda’s public service requires aligning programmes with national priorities, measuring UN impact, and ensuring that outcomes benefit citizens directly,” she noted. 

She added that planning must be bottom-up and rooted in real needs on the ground, emphasizing that the UN and the Government of Uganda must work as one team to deliver tangible results for citizens.

At the retreat one message was clear: reforms cannot wait. The UN must lead change from within moving from shared services and harmonized systems to joint programmes co-designed and implemented together. “We cannot wait for reforms to be handed down from New York; we must start acting now in areas where we have leverage,” noted one participant.

Partnerships were central. Aligning the new UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2026-2030 with Uganda’s National Development Plan IV ensures impact is measured not only in reports but in citizen trust and improved services. Inclusive dialogue with government, development partners, civil society, and the private sector was highlighted as key to reducing duplication and fragmentation.

Financing the future also took centre stage, with innovative approaches like diaspora bonds, blended finance, pooled funds, and carbon markets explored.

Yet, the UN’s unique strength remains its convening power: “Our comparative advantage lies not in the size of our budgets, but in our ability to bring people together and broker knowledge,” said Mr. Leonard Zulu UN Resident Coordinator in Uganda.

The retreat concluded with a clear commitment: the UNCT would map capacities, cluster them around agreed strategic priorities, and adopt purposeful implementation approaches such as cross-border and area-based joint programmes. Deputies were tasked with leading the mapping exercise, while agency Heads pledged to champion reforms within their agencies.

Reflecting on the outcome, the UN Resident Coordinator in Uganda, Mr. Leonard Zulu summed up the spirit of the retreat: “UN@80 is not just about celebrating history, it is about reimagining how we work, so that we remain credible, effective, and impactful in the lives of the people we serve.” 

The message was clear: the UN in Uganda is taking proactive steps to reform, innovate, and Deliver as One, transforming commitments into tangible impact for the people of Uganda.