By Our Reporter
The US Embassy in Uganda has dismissed reports of aid cut to Uganda, confirming their continued aid in various programs like Health, Agriculture, and elections. Below is the full clarification from the embassy on aid to Uganda.
CLARIFICATION
We have seen several reports alleging that recent decisions by donors have directly affected services in health, agriculture, and election funding.
Speaking for the United States, let us be clear; none of the announced changes in U.S. assistance affects essential care and treatment in our health services, our extensive agriculture programming, or our initiatives in democracy and governance.
Nor do they hinder any other programme central to our shared vision of a peaceful, prosperous, healthy, and democratic Uganda.
The American people continue to provide over $700m in assistance to the people of Uganda annually – more than any other donor. Virtually none of this money goes to the government. It goes to our implementing partners who use it to provide direct services to the people most in need.
Our commitment to support the needs of the Ugandan people remains strong, just as it has for the last fifty years.
We note the frequent statements from political and other leaders that the U.S. is cutting assistance to Ugandans in urgent need of health services. This is patently false.
On behalf of the American people, we provide nearly eighty percent of the national HIV response in Uganda. We support the life-saving, anti-retroviral therapy (ART) of over half-a million Ugandans – over eighty percent of all citizens on ART in Uganda. There has been no other realistic source of funds for this treatment, and without it, people will die.
U.S President Barack Obama
We believe deeply that Uganda’s economic future must be strongly rooted in its tremendous agricultural potential. That is why President Obama’s Feed the Future program – which remains fully funded – is the single-largest donor-funded agriculture program in Uganda.
Over one-quarter of a million members of 5,600 farmer and producer organisations are benefitting right now from the training and improved technology Feed the Future provides.
Our democracy and governance programmes are central to our work around the world, and Uganda is no different. As we have for years, we continue to work with actors across the Ugandan political spectrum in non-partisan ways to promote democratic principles and to help ensure free, fair and credible elections and that all Ugandans can enjoy the basic freedoms and universal rights that come with being a member of the international community. And, as long as we have a viable partnership, we intend to provide further assistance to help ensure that future elections are also free, fair, and credible.