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GGGI Trains 25 policy Analysts on Regulatory Best Practices (RBP) Training for Green Growth Policies Development

The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) has been supporting the Government of Uganda to mainstream Green Growth principles into the development of policies and strategies. So far, GGGI has supported the development of green policy and strategy development work in Uganda to include among others the Development of a Uganda Green Growth Development Strategy to mainstream green growth into Vison 2040 and NDP2; the National Urban Policy; the National Urban Solid Waste Management Policy; the National Environment Policy and the Energy Efficiency Conservation Bill that are currently undergoing the RIA. RBP/RIA is a central consideration by Cabinet on reviewing and approving national policies.

As a sustainability mechanism in order to entrench and promote the sustainability, the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) in partnership with the Office of the President-Cabinet Secretariat of the Republic of Uganda agreed to support training 50 Policy Analysts in key GoU MDAs. A first batch of 25 Policy Analysts have completed a two days training and have been equipped with skills and knowledge for effective institutionalization and application of RBP/ RIA and green growth in policy, law and regulation making in Uganda.

The participants that included Policy Analysts Cadre (Policy Analysts, Senior Policy Analysts, Principal Policy Analysts, Assistant Commissioners and Commissioner Policy Development and Capacity Building) are charged with the responsibility of policy formulation in their respective MDAs. They were drawn from the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, the Office of the Prime Minister, National Planning Authority, Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, the Judiciary, Reproductive Health Uganda, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, the Ministry of Public Service, the Ministry of Trade and Cooperatives, the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries and the Kampala Capital City Authority. The training took place at the Office of the President of the Republic of Uganda in Kampala on the November 21 and 22, 2018 and was jointly facilitated by key resource persons from Makerere University Kampala (MUK) and the National Planning Authority (NPA).

The training is part of GGGI’s institutional capacity building for the MDAs to independently formulate policies and strategies with minimal external support. Dr. Mohammed Moki, the Commissioner of the Capacity Building and Policy Development Unit of OP-UG, re-emphasized the need to build the capacity of Policy Analysts Cadre to carry out RIA in order to cut down spending huge sums of money on consultants, who have been recently conducting the RIAs on behalf of their staff.

The participants are expected apply the knowledge and skills acquired to mainstream GGG into their policy and strategy development processes using the RPB/RIA and green growth principles, aimed to promote green policies for sustainable transformation of lives of the citizens in line with Uganda Green Growth Development Strategy (UGGDS) and National Development Plan II (NDPII).
Speaking at the same event, Mr. Ronald Kaggwa, the Manager for Production and Trade of the National Planning Authority- Uganda, called upon the participants to adopt the new practices in order transform Uganda by making good policies He added that policies can make us and fail us thus there is need to make policies where there is evidence and wide stakeholders’ consensus.

About the RBP/RIA

The Government of Uganda introduced Regulatory Best Practices (RBP) in 2004. One of the tangents of RBP is RIA, aimed at promoting evidence based public problem identification, analysis, option identification and formulation, implementation, monitoring and impact evaluation based on systematic review of all possible options with their likely impacts.

It is important to note that application of RIA involves institutionalization of the following principles for a good policy, law or regulation; be focused to best serve the public/citizen interests; be evidence based/based on facts/proof for transparency and objectivity; have an issue(s) or need(s) or problem(s) it is addressing so that it is known what it will change; be carefully analyzed against other policy; law or regulation options before it is introduced; to ensure it is the best, most cost effective solution to address the identified issue(s) or need(s) or problem(s); be widely consulted before it is introduced to ensure it is inclusive; be clear, simple and practical so that everyone can understand and comply; be easily communicated or disseminated so that everybody can access and support compliance, produce benefits that outweigh costs, be properly and fairly enforceable within the available resources, and be monitored and evaluated during and after introduction to make sure it is effective in ensuring its intended benefits.

However, there is inadequate application and mainstreaming of RBP/RIA and Uganda Green Growth aspects in policy, law and regulation making in Uganda. One of the responsible factors is the inadequate exposure of the officials to adequate skills, knowledge and adoption of best practice of RPB/RIA and green growth outcomes that promote sustainable economic growth (for example, promotion of environmental protection, sustainable utilization of natural resources, creation of jobs and minimization of greenhouse gas emissions). Unless serious interventions are carried out, the officials may never support institutionalization and application of RBP/RIA and green growth in policy, law and regulation making in Uganda. This may delay realization of evidence based green policies required for inclusive sustainable development. Hence building the capacity of key policy actors is imperative for change towards inclusive evidence sustainable development through application and mainstreaming of RBP/RIA and green growth.

Moving on, GGGI shall continue with its support to build the capacity of Policy Analysts from various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in Uganda to develop Green Growth and integrate Green Growth aspects as National policies are being developed.

About the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI).

Based in Seoul, GGGI is an intergovernmental organization that supports developing country governments transition to a model of economic growth that is environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive. GGGI delivers programs in 27 partner countries, both member and non-member, with technical support, capacity building, policy planning & implementation, and by helping to build a pipeline of bankable green investment projects. GGGI has 28 Member countries from developed, developing countries, including Small Island Developing States, from South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia and the Pacific regions.