Uganda Water and Environment Week 2023 report

The sixth Uganda Water and Environment Week (UWEWK2023) took place from 12 – 17 March 2023 at the Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) headquarters in Kampala. The main theme was "Water and Environment for Climate-Resilient Development" aiming to address the challenges in managing water and environment resources in Uganda and contribute to the country's growth path towards the Parish Development Model (PDM), National Development Plan III (NDP3), Vision 2040, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

UWEWK2023 brought together actors and stakeholders from various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies of government, academia, development and private sector partners, cultural institutions, civil society, and faith-based organizations, among others, to exchange knowledge and experiences, engage in dialogue, network, and foster new thinking.

The national event was officially opened on 12th March 2023 by the Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda- the RT Hon. Anita Annet Among, represented by Hon. Dr. Otimu Emmanuel Otaala, the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. The closing ceremony on 17th March 2023 was officiated by Mr. Alfred Okot Okidi, the Permanent Secretary-Ministry of Water and Environment.

UWEWK2023 allowed participants to contribute to Uganda's midterm review of the UN-International Decade for Action on "Water for Sustainable Development" 2018-2028 called Water Action Decade for Water and gain insights into the new innovations taking place at the WRI. It enabled benchmarking of best practices within the sector while developing solutions to the most pressing water and environment-related challenges facing the country.

Pre-event activities included a 320 kilometer walk from the Oil and Gas development area at Kingfisher in Kikuube district to MWE-HQ in Luzira-Kampala; broadcast talk shows, regional commemorations led by the MWE De-concentrated structures, youth debates, marathons, football matches, awareness campaign, clean up exercises, environmental restoration activities, etc.

This report presents a summary of the main points derived from the national sessions to feed into and inform policy and action areas.