Uganda has been selected as the host country for the African Humanitarian Agency, a specialized technical agency of the African Union. The decision was made during the 45th Session of the African Union Executive Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Accra, Ghana, on July 19, 2024.
The selection process, which began in May 2023, saw four countries – Uganda, Kenya, Equatorial Guinea, and Nigeria – submit their proposals to host the agency. An independent evaluation team from the African Union Commission assessed the proposals and conducted an on-site assessment mission to each country in May 2024.
Uganda emerged as the top scorer with 85.66%, followed by Equatorial Guinea with 76.70%, Kenya with 76.13%, and Nigeria with 74.50%. The Executive Council welcomed the report and congratulated Uganda on its successful bid.
The African Humanitarian Agency is responsible for coordinating and providing humanitarian responses in coordination with affected member states. Uganda’s selection is seen as a significant milestone, given its experience in hosting refugees and its established legal and institutional frameworks for dealing with humanitarian crises.
The Ugandan government has expressed excitement and gratitude for the opportunity to host the agency. Permanent Representative to the African Union, Amb. Rebecca Otengo, noted that this is the first African Union agency to be hosted by Uganda since joining the organization.
The process for operationalizing the agency in Uganda has already begun, with the approval of the budget to recruit top management staff during the 2025/2026 financial year.
In a related development, Uganda also secured the election of Justice Duncan Gaswaga to the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights for a six-year term, with an overwhelming majority of 46 member states voting in his favor.
