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PSFU E-Newsletter April- May 2012

PSFU ORGANISES ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM)

Members of PSFU at the 15th AGM at UMA Main Exhibition Hall. PSFU organised its 15th Annual General Meeting on 8th May 2012. The AGM took place at the Main Exhibition Hall UMA Show Grounds Lugogo. Over 120 members attended the AGM. Hon. Gerald Ssendaula Chairman PSFU commended the role of the Board, Members and staff in supporting the growth of the Private Sector in Uganda. It was however noted that despite the growth of the Private

Sector, Ugandan businesses are still faced with a number of challenges. He however thanked the Government of Uganda for providing a platform where the private sector has been given an opportunity to discuss with Government a number of issues affecting the private sector. For details www.psfuganda.org.ug

PSFU Hosts Over 150 MPs from Greater North

PSFU together with Greater North Parliamentary Forum (GNPF) organised a one day workshop with Members of Parliament and other stakeholders from Greater North on 10th May 2012 at Hotel Africana. The purpose of the workshop was to inform the MPs about the NEW BUDS-DFID project, its objectives and how the various communities in the Greater North can benefit. The workshop was opened by the Minister of State for Teso Affairs Hon. Christine Amongin Aporu. She commended the Government of Uganda and the UK Government plus PSFU for extending the BUDS-DFID grant to the communities of Greater North. She thanked PSFU for inviting the MPs to inform them about the project.

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Chairman Greater North Parliamentary Forum Hon. Felix Okoth Ogong and Minister of State for Teso Affairs Hon. Christine Amongin Aporu at the workshop at Hotel Africana The Chairman Greater North Parliamentary Forum Hon. Felix Okoth Ogong called on all MPs of Greater North to ensure that this information is provided to the beneficiary communities and work with PSFU whenever details about the project are required.

Ms Sutapa Choudhury Economic Advisor UK Department for International Development said DFID is very committed to working with the Government of Uganda to ensure the success of the Peace Reconstruction and Development Plan for the north. “There continues to be a strong synergy between the coalition Government of the UK and the Government of Uganda in terms of the recognition of the private sector as the main engine of growth, job creation and socio-economic transformation”. The workshop was attended by over 150 MPs from Greater North, and other PSFU stakeholders from Greater North. For details www.psfuganda.org.ug

Members of Parliament from Greater North at the Workshop for MPs

PSFU to hold International Trade Facilitation Expo 2012 PSFU is organising an Trade Facilitation Expo to take place on Tuesday 24th to Thursday 26th July at the Lugogo Main Exhibition Hall. The expo will be in the form of two day exhibition to be held at the Uganda Manufacturer’s Main Exhibition Hall at Lugogo.

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The theme for this year is: “Enhancing Uganda’s access to International markets”.

The Objectives of This Event

a) Enable more public-private dialogue between the private sector and the Government’s trade-facilitating institutions

b) To narrow the information gap of the existing trade facilitation services with the current and potential exporters

c) To enhance private sector operators participation in international trade d) To increase awareness on available trade facilitation services e) To encourage more companies and individuals to consider exporting into international markets for the first

time. For details go to www.psfuganda.org.ug

At the 2011 International Trade Facilitation Expo

Training on EAC Integration Process for Private Sector, Civil Society and Local Government As part of the development strategy, the EAC is implementing programmes to streamline its relationship with the Private Sector, Civil Society, and Local Governments to strengthen their capacity through three partners (i.e. The East African Business Council (EABC), the East African Civil Society Organisations Forum (EASCOF), and the East African Local Government’s Association (EALGA).

In this regard, EAC organised a 5 day Training of Trainers to equip member organisations of EABC, EACSOF and ELGA members with skills to train to train their members on the EAC Integration process. The PSFU Public Relations Manager Ms. Sarah N. Bakehena was also trained. The major aim of the sensitization campaigns is to create awareness among the citizens of East Africa on the integration process in order for them to take full advantage of the benefits of regional integration. For details contact www.eac.info

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BUDS-DFID rolls out in all districts in Northern Uganda PSFU has started a vigorous rollout programme for BUDS-DFID project in all target areas in Northern Uganda. The strategy will kick off with the following regions; Teso Region, Acholi Region, Karamoja Region, West Nile region and the Elgon Region. The Manager BUDS-DFID Mr. Daniel Kisekka has said that a number of sensitization meetings and workshops would be held with Local Council Leaders, the Business Community, and various stakeholders. Various media programmes have also been organized for the various regions.

Lucy Akullo Mugisha BUDS-DFID staff handing over a check to a beneficiary of BUDS –DFID

What is the Goal of BUDS-DFID? To promote private sector growth, investment and employment opportunities under the Post Conflict Development Programme (PCDP) in Acholi, Lango, Teso, West-Nile, Karamoja, Bukedi and parts of Bunyoro. For details go to www.psfuganda.org.ug

PSFU in Partnership with Heifer International Project

Heifer Project International Uganda – East African Diary Development Program (EADDP) in Partnership with PSFU is organizing the “Financial and governance empowerment series Training for 2012. This program will involve structured trainings, mentoring and coaching and an Award to the winning cooperatives that would have demonstrated best practice at the end of the program. A total of 55 Diary Cooperatives are expected to benefit from the program.

The trainings have been organised with an objective to impart skills on managing Agriculture as a business and improving governance and management of dairy producer group enterprises.

The training will be tailored made and will focus on areas which will stimulate entrepreneurship, equip participants with marketing skills, financial and business management. And at the end of the program the need to recognize and award cooperative societies that would have implemented the best practice for detail www.psfuganda.org.ug

QUISP Study Tour to Sweden on Standards Development, Metrology, Conformity Assessment and Accreditation (SMCA) from 17th - 25th April 2012

In line with the approved 2011/2012 QUISP annual workplan, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives (MTIC) through the Quality Infrastructure and Standards Programme (QUISP) organized a study tour to Sweden – a country of 8.5 million people with a land area more than twice Uganda. The object of the study tour was to benchmark the Swedish Quality infrastructure, share experience and learn from the Swedish practices on how they have managed their Standardization processes and Quality Infrastructure.

The study tour team was led by the Permanent Secretary, MTTI Ambassador Julius B Onen, and comprised of Mr. Deus Mubangizi – Manager Laboratory Testing – UNBS; Dr. Jackson Amone – Assistant Commissioner – Ministry of Health; Mr. Gideon Badagawa ED –PSFU and Mr. Deogratias Kamweya MTIC/PM-QUISP. The team visited major Swedish institutions involved in the SMCA activities such as

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Swedish Accreditation -SWEDAC (Accreditation and regulation), the National Metrology Institute - SP (Research, calibration, lab testing, and conformity assessment), Standards Institute - SIS (Standards development and market surveillance) NIRAS (focusing on sustainable development) were visited. for details contact www.psfuganda.org.ug

Brief on the EAC Summit meeting which took place on 28th April, 2012

On 28th April 2012, the Presidents of Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania Rwanda and Vice President of Burundi held an EAC Summit meeting (which is the highest decision making organ of the EAC).The theme of the meeting was, “… Towards a single Customs Territory…” Issues agreed upon The meeting discussed many issues but the following decisions have which affect the Private Sector in Uganda has been highlighted as follows;

a) Summit received the report the progress report of the Council of Ministers on the attainment of Single Customs Territory

b) The Summit adopted in Principle the destination model of clearance of goods where assessment and collection of revenue is at the 1st entry point of the territory and revenues are remitted to the destination Partner States subject to the fulfillment of key PRE CONDITIONNS TO BE DEVELOPED BY THE HIGH LEVEL TASK FORCE.

c) Summit directed the Council Of Ministers to report progress at the Summit in November 2012 d) Summit agreed to hold a dedicated session on infrastructure development and financing in EAC in

November 2012.

Comments of PSFU 1. The Private Sector in Uganda has carried out preliminary analysis on the implications of IMPLEMENTING

the SCT as it is proposed by the EAC Consultant and found that generally the Private Sector in Uganda will be left worse off.

2. The Private Sector welcomes the decision that the implementation be dependent on Pre Conditions to be developed by the High Level Taskforce to be created.

3. The taskforce to be created need to examine the implications of implementing the SCT and design a system which will enable the implementation not to leave the Private Sector , especially those in the land locked countries worse off. And also reduce the cost of doing business.

4. The Private Sector would like to be fully represented in the taskforce and participate effectively in the decisions which will affect them directly.

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5. To this end PSFU will be calling an urgent meeting on this to be held on Wednesday 2nd May 2012 and will be chaired by PSFU Chairman Hon. Gerald Ssendaula who is also the current Chairman of East African Business Council. for details www.eabc.inf

BVLF DISTRICT PROJECT 2012/2013

The BVLF District project became effective from the 1st February 2012 and is expected to run up to January 30th 2013 as a pilot subject to extension for another two years subject to satisfactory performance. The Project targets three Districts i.e. Apac ,Nakapiripirit and Kumi with support targeting two sub counties in each of the three Districts. Therefore implementation of activities is undertaken by District staff at headquarter and Sub county Level with overall supervision of the District Health Officer (DHO) with the accounting role on behalf of the District lying in the hands of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). PSFU also has a coordinating office based in Kumi District Head Quarters at the DHOs Office.

Project Scope

The project activities cover the following broad areas; Reduced childhood mortality and morbidity among young rural children growing up in unhealthy physical environments; Reduced violence in families with young children in rural areas; Young children (0-6 years) in rural areas spend their days in safe and stimulating environments near their homes

So far, a number of activities have been implemented i.e Signing of MOUs, Orientation of all District staff about the project operations and implementation, Orientation and Training of the Village Health Teams (VHTs) on data collection tools, Selection of Groups, Delivery of Bicycles, Disbursement of Funds etc. For details go to www.psfuganda.org.ug

Upcoming Events

PSFU Post Budget Luncheon- June 2012 International Trade Facilitation Expo July 2012

Hon. Gerald Ssendaula Chairman PSFU and Mr. Gideon Badagawa ED PSFU after the AGM.

For comments and details contact, Sarah N. Bakehena, Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU), Plot 43, Nakasero Hill Road, Tel:[+256] 0312 263850, 0312 261850, 0312 286849, Fax [+ 256] 312 266440

P.O Box 7683 Kampala, Uganda, Email: psfu@psfuganda.org.ug , Website: www.psfuganda.org.ug, snakibuuka@psfuganda.org.ug