FINANCE MINISTER KASAIJA SIGNS UGX 19 BILLION GRANT AGREEMENT WITH DENMARK

Finance Minister Matia Kasaija has on behalf of Government of Uganda signed a grant agreement of 35 million Danish Kroner equivalent to Uganda shillings 19 billion with the Government of Denmark represented by the Danish Ambassador to Uganda, Nicolaj Hejberg Petersen.

This grant will go towards supporting Uganda's Public Financial Management (PFM) Reform programme executed under the Resource Enhancement and Accountability Programme (REAP) under the Ministry of Finance.

With this support, Government will focus on enhancing resource mobilization, enhancing policy based planning and budgeting as well as enhancing accountability systems and compliance.

Focus will also be on improving transparency and accountability of local government public financial management systems.

Kasaija thanked the Royal Danish Government for the continued commitment to systems' strengthening in Uganda.

" I want to assure you that the Government of Uganda is fully committed to achieving the goals enshrined in the public financial management reform strategy," said the Minister.

He urged his Ministry and all other stakeholders to ensure proper utilization of the grant.

The Danish Ambassador said this support to REAP is part of the bigger Country programme launched in 2018 to also support agriculture, trade, Uganda's refugee response and private sector development among other areas.

" Denmark recognises that corruption within the public sector deprives Ugandan citizens of quality services, but also acknowledges the existence of accountability champions and initiatives such as REAP that works towards addressing this vice," said the Ambassador.