The Government has called on development partners to provide predictable and sustainable financing to strengthen Uganda’s disaster preparedness and resilience as the country moves from pilot projects to nationwide implementation of anticipatory action.
Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees Sam Engola said Uganda needs to shift from responding to disasters after they occur to taking timely action based on early warnings to prevent emergencies from escalating.
“We must move from responding after disasters occur to acting before disasters become emergencies,” Engola said.
He was speaking at the Uganda Anticipatory Action Donor Conference held at Imperial Resort Beach Hotel in Entebbe under the theme, “Invest Before the Crisis: From Early Warning to Early Action, and from Early Action to Resilience.”
The conference brought together development partners, United Nations agencies, donor organisations and humanitarian actors to mobilise support for Uganda’s anticipatory action agenda.
Engola said Uganda had made progress in strengthening its disaster preparedness and early warning systems, citing the development of the Uganda Roadmap for Anticipatory Action 2026–2031 and the Uganda Multi-Hazard Integrated Early Warning System.
He also cited the establishment of the National Anticipatory Action Dialogue Platform as another milestone aimed at improving coordination among government institutions, development partners and humanitarian organisations.
“Uganda has made important progress, including the development of the Uganda Roadmap for Anticipatory Action 2026–2031, the Uganda Multi-Hazard Integrated Early Warning System, and the establishment of a National Anticipatory Action Dialogue Platform,” he said.
However, Engola said the focus must now shift from developing frameworks and conducting pilot projects to implementing anticipatory action at scale and integrating it into national disaster management systems.
“Our priority now is implementation—moving from pilots to scale and institutionalizing Anticipatory Action,” he said.
He said this transition would require predictable financing and stronger partnerships, particularly in areas such as anticipatory financing, early warning and risk-information systems, locally led interventions, capacity building and evidence generation.
“I therefore call upon our development partners to support anticipatory financing, early warning and risk information systems, locally led action, capacity strengthening and evidence generation,” Engola said.
The minister also emphasised the need to place communities and local governments at the centre of disaster preparedness, saying they must have the knowledge, capacity and resources to respond when early warnings are issued.
“We also recognise that localisation must be at the heart of this agenda. Communities and local governments must have the knowledge, capacity and resources to act when warnings are issued,” he said.
Engola said Uganda’s engagement with development partners should go beyond short-term humanitarian assistance and focus on building a long-term partnership that strengthens the country’s capacity to withstand and recover from disasters.
“Today, Uganda is not only asking for support. We are inviting you to join us in a long-term partnership for resilience—through financing, technical expertise, innovation and institutional support,” he said.
He urged stakeholders to improve coordination and ensure that early warnings are followed by timely action, saying institutions should clearly understand their responsibilities while communities are prepared for possible threats.
“Let us work together to ensure that when a credible warning is issued, the right institution knows what to do, communities know what to expect, and resources are available to act,” he said.
Engola said the country’s disaster management approach should ultimately move away from a reactive model towards one that anticipates risks and takes action before disasters cause widespread damage.
“Let us move from warning to action, from reaction to anticipation, and from vulnerability to resilience,” he said.
The conference was attended by representatives from the Office of the Prime Minister, Ministry of Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, World Food Programme, Food and Agriculture Organisation, UNICEF, UNDP, UNHCR, IOM, OCHA, European Union, USAID, FCDO, GIZ, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, JICA, World Bank and African Development Bank.
Representatives from IGAD, the African Union Commission, Uganda Red Cross Society, IFRC and members of the National Anticipatory Action Dialogue Platform also attended.