Summary:

• The UN announces Uganda’s transition to a lower-middle-income country due to improvements in health, education, and income levels. Despite progress, challenges remain in addressing inequalities. Uganda commits to further development efforts.

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The United Nations (UN) has declared that Uganda has achieved the criteria to be classified as a lower-middle-income country, citing remarkable advancements in health, education, and income levels among its populace. This announcement was made by Ms. Susan Ngongi Namondo, the UN resident coordinator in Uganda, during the unveiling of the 2023/2024 Human Development Report (HDR) at Makerere University in Kampala.

The HDR specifically highlights Uganda’s substantial progress in the Human Development Index (HDI), elevating its global ranking from 166 in 2022 to 159 in 2024 among the 193 countries and territories assessed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Factors such as income levels, health and education standards, and societal inequalities were evaluated.

According to Ms. Nwanneakolam Vwede-Obahor, the UNDP resident representative, in the previous 2021/2022 HDR, Uganda was categorized as having low human development, ranked 166 out of 191 countries and territories. However, in the latest report, Uganda has moved up to the medium human development category for the first time, ranking 159 out of 193 countries and territories. This notable progress underscores the country’s advancements in human development over the years.

The report highlights significant improvements in Uganda’s HDI value from 1990 to 2022, indicating a 67.2 percent increase. Life expectancy at birth rose by 17.2 years, expected years of schooling increased by 5.8 years, and Gross National Income (GNI) per capita saw a rise of about 153.1 percent.

Ms. Namondo further revealed that Uganda’s transition to the medium human development category aligns with an announcement from the UN Committee for Development Policy, confirming Uganda’s fulfillment of the criteria for graduating from the least developed country to the lower-middle-income country category for the first time.

However, Ms. Namondo cautioned that sustaining these gains would require significant effort, particularly as Uganda moves into the lower-middle-income category, which might cause short-term disruptions in the budget. She emphasized the importance of planning to navigate this transition smoothly.

Despite Uganda’s HDI surpassing the Sub-Saharan African average, it still falls below the global average, according to the HDR report. The report also highlights challenges such as widening income inequalities and disparities in access to healthcare and education.

In response to the report, Ms. Robinah Nabbanja, the prime minister, pledged increased investment in initiatives like the Parish Development Model (PDM) to ensure inclusivity and address the outlined challenges. She called upon all stakeholders to collaborate in tackling these issues and emphasized the government’s commitment to human development.

In summary, Uganda’s elevation to a lower-middle-income country marks a significant milestone, but concerted efforts are required to sustain progress and address remaining challenges to ensure a more equitable and sustainable future for all Ugandans.