Uganda and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) have signed a Host Country Agreement paving the way for the establishment of a UNODC office in Kampala.
The agreement was signed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters in Kampala by Foreign Affairs Minister Adonia Ayebare and Ali Farouk Elbereir, UNODC Regional Representative for Eastern Africa, based in Nairobi.
Elbereir congratulated Ayebare on his appointment and reaffirmed UNODC’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with Uganda in the fight against transnational organised crime.
He said the planned Uganda office is expected to become one of UNODC’s three largest offices globally, underscoring the country’s strategic importance and stability.
The office will focus on key areas including wildlife trafficking, human smuggling, cybercrime, money laundering and anti-corruption efforts.
The discussions also focused on Uganda’s chairmanship of the Khartoum Process and opportunities to enhance regional cooperation on migration, crime prevention and other related challenges.
Ayebare welcomed the establishment of the UNODC office, saying it would help strengthen national institutions and support law enforcement agencies in preventing and dismantling criminal networks and combating money laundering.
He reaffirmed Uganda’s commitment to the partnership, stressing that “Uganda is a team” and that UNODC could count on the country’s support.
The Host Country Agreement provides the framework for the UNODC office in Kampala to support the agency’s programmes and projects, strengthen regional initiatives and deepen cooperation between the Government of Uganda and UNODC.
