Uganda has been selected to host the headquarters of the African Union Humanitarian Agency, a move the government says will strengthen the country’s position as a regional hub for diplomacy and humanitarian affairs.
Speaking at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala, ICT and National Guidance Minister Justine Kasule Lumumba announced that the agency’s permanent headquarters will be built in Lubowa at an estimated cost of US$86 million.
She said Cabinet approved a phased implementation plan for the project. Under the arrangement, the government will first rent office space in Rubaga to accommodate the agency’s technical teams while construction of the permanent headquarters gets underway.
Lumumba said hosting the African Union Humanitarian Agency is expected to bring significant economic and diplomatic benefits to Uganda.
She noted that the country will attract diplomats, humanitarian professionals, researchers and government officials from across Africa and other parts of the world, boosting investment, creating jobs and raising Uganda’s international profile.