During the 45th Executive Session of the African Union Executive Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Uganda was selected to host the African Humanitarian Agency. The decision, made at the African Union’s 45th Session in Accra, Ghana, on July 18-19, 2024, marks a significant milestone for Uganda.
The African Humanitarian Agency, a Specialized Technical Agency of the African Union, will be responsible for coordinating humanitarian responses across the continent. The decision follows a thorough evaluation process that began in May 2023, when four countries—Uganda, Kenya, Equatorial Guinea, and Nigeria—submitted bids to host the Agency.
The African Union Commission conducted an Independent Technical Evaluation of the proposals, with assessments carried out in May 2024. Uganda emerged as the top candidate with a score of 85.66%, surpassing Kenya (76.13%), Nigeria (74.50%), and Equatorial Guinea (76.70%).
Ambassador Rebecca Otengo, Uganda’s Permanent Representative to the African Union, expressed her enthusiasm: “This is the first African Union Agency hosted by Uganda since we joined the Union. It is a significant achievement for our country.”
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Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gen. Odongo Jeje Abubakhar, highlighted Uganda’s role as the largest refugee-hosting country in Africa and praised the efforts of the Ugandan delegation. “Our extensive experience in humanitarian action and the goodwill we enjoy among other African Union member states contributed to this success,” he said.
The operationalization of the Agency is already underway, with budget approval to recruit top management staff scheduled for the 2025/2026 financial year.
In addition to this milestone, Uganda’s delegation at the 45th Executive Council session achieved another notable victory: Justice Duncan Gaswaga was elected to the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights for a six-year term, receiving strong support from 46 member states.
The Assembly of the African Union had previously endorsed the creation of the Humanitarian Agency during the 11th AU Humanitarian Symposium in Nairobi in November 2023. In April 2023, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni had met with an African Union delegation led by Prof. Julio Rakotonirina to present Uganda’s bid.
The African Union’s choice underscores Uganda’s pivotal role in humanitarian efforts and marks a new chapter in the country’s engagement with the continental body.
