By Ben Musanje
Uganda and Denmark have signed a cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening the country’s statistical systems, improving the production and use of official data, and supporting the transition to a green economy.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), Statistics Denmark and the Embassy of Denmark in Uganda during the second day of the Uganda-European Union Business Forum held at Kampala Serena Hotel.
The signing was witnessed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and State Minister for Trade, Gen. Wilson Mbasu Mbadi, according to the Danish Embassy in Uganda.
The agreement establishes a framework for cooperation in official statistics and data, with a focus on strengthening UBOS’s capacity to produce reliable and timely information to support government planning, policymaking, business decisions and national development.
Under the agreement, the two countries will work to modernize Uganda’s National Statistical System, improve coordination in the production of national statistics, and strengthen the dissemination and communication of statistical information to users both locally and internationally.
A key area of cooperation will be the production and management of data to support Uganda’s green transition. This will involve improving the collection, analysis and dissemination of relevant statistics to inform climate-related policies and development planning.
The partnership will also facilitate knowledge-sharing, technical assistance, staff exchanges and joint activities involving government ministries, departments and agencies, development partners, private sector institutions and civil society organizations.
In addition, the agreement provides for technical cooperation with the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to improve the availability, accessibility and use of official statistics for macroeconomic modelling and analysis.
The initiative is expected to support Uganda’s participation and co-chair role in the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action, an international initiative that brings together finance ministries to integrate climate considerations into economic and fiscal policies.
The cooperation aligns with Denmark’s Strategic Framework for Uganda 2023–2028, Uganda Vision 2040, the Fourth National Development Plan for financial years 2025/26 to 2029/30, and the Fourth Plan for National Statistical Development. It also references Uganda’s updated Nationally Determined Contribution and the National Climate Change Act, 2021.
The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs is financing the cooperation through the Strategic Sector Cooperation Programme with Statistics Denmark.
Under the implementation arrangements, the Embassy of Denmark will support coordination, communication and engagement with relevant Ugandan institutions, while Statistics Denmark will provide technical expertise for agreed activities. UBOS will take institutional ownership of the initiative and designate a focal point or project manager to coordinate implementation.
The parties will jointly identify specific programmes, projects and activities under the framework and periodically assess the effectiveness of their cooperation. Priorities are expected to be reviewed over medium-term periods of three to five years, while any financial arrangements will remain subject to the respective laws, regulations and policies of the parties.
The agreement marks a new step in Uganda-Denmark cooperation, positioning reliable official statistics as a key tool for evidence-based policymaking, economic analysis, climate action and sustainable national development.
