Africa-Press – Uganda. Experts have cautioned Uganda against celebrating the World Bank’s return without addressing long-standing governance and efficiency gaps in project implementation.
Uganda is among several African countries set to benefit from a UGX 9 trillion facility recently approved by the World Bank.
The funds are earmarked for infrastructure, education, health, and socio-economic programs targeting refugees and war-displaced persons, particularly in Northern Uganda.
Timothy Chemonges, Executive Director of the Centre for Policy Analysis (CEPA), described the excitement over the World Bank’s decision as “very understandable,” given the financial boost it provides to key development sectors.
However, he warned that renewed support should be received with measured optimism.
“The World Bank lifting the ban signals the partial restoration of donor confidence after the suspension of new funding. However, celebrating the World Bank’s return without addressing the structural issues that led to project delays, cost overruns, and poor absorption rates in the past will be premature,” Chemonges said.
He emphasized that Uganda’s main challenge lies not in accessing funds, but in ensuring that the money is used efficiently and transparently.
“The key issue is not access to money, but the efficiency and accountability in how it is used. While concessional loans and grants provide much-needed fiscal space, they also increase debt exposure—especially since the World Bank already tops Uganda’s list of creditors, followed by China,” he added.
Other development analysts echoed similar concerns, warning that Uganda’s growing debt burden could undermine the potential benefits of new financing if governance, procurement, and monitoring systems are not strengthened.
The World Bank suspended new funding to Uganda in 2023, citing policy disagreements and governance concerns.
Its latest decision to resume support is widely seen as a vote of renewed confidence in the country’s economic management.
Experts, however, stress that sustaining that confidence will depend on reforms that guarantee accountability and measurable impact.
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