The World Bank and the Government of Uganda have agreed to streamline state approval procedures to accelerate the execution of key public infrastructure projects financed under a US$4.62 billion portfolio.
Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury (PSST) Dr. Ramathan Ggoobi reaffirmed Uganda’s commitment during a portfolio review with World Bank Division Director Qimiao Fan at the Ministry of Finance headquarters in Kampala.
The bilateral meeting centered on eliminating administrative bottlenecks, raising fund absorption rates, and ensuring timely project delivery for citizens.
Fan, who oversees Kenya, Somalia, Uganda, and Rwanda, warned that lengthy bureaucratic delays pose the largest threat to development outcomes.
“Uganda has a strong and ambitious pipeline. However, approval processes are increasingly becoming one of the most significant risks to timely delivery,” Fan said.
He urged authorities to compress timelines between project formulation, cabinet approvals, parliamentary clearances, procurement, and field commissioning.
Fan also called for rigorous joint oversight to monitor project milestones through each statutory phase.
The World Bank reiterated its commitment to financing critical growth sectors, including power grid expansion, transport corridors, urban planning, and civil service systems.
Dr. Ggoobi insisted that government ministries must execute projects strictly within stipulated deadlines and approved budgetary limits.
Figures presented during the Country Portfolio Performance Review indicate that Uganda’s active World Bank portfolio stands at US$4.62 billion.
Out of this allocation, US$1.48 billion has been disbursed so far.
“Our aim is not merely to review individual projects,” Ggoobi said. “It is to improve the effectiveness of development financing, accelerate implementation and absorption, and deliver tangible, sustainable results for Ugandans.”
Dr. Ggoobi underscored that development assistance must closely match national priorities to generate industrial expansion and improved public welfare.