News: World Bank assures Uganda on delayed projects

The World Bank vice-president for Eastern and Southern Africa, Dr. Ndiamé Diop, has explained delays in implementation of various projects in Uganda and assured the East African nation of more support.

The projects are in areas of health, education, water, energy and digital transformation, among others.

Diop said on Thursday (October 15) that delayed implementation of projects in these and other areas denies timely delivery of services to the citizens.

“It is really for the population we are trying to serve. Uganda has a great vision and the programs are great. It’s not about capacity, but it’s bureaucracy that is causing the delays,” he said.

He made the remarks while meeting finance minister Henry Musasizi at the ongoing 2026 annual meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund in Bangkok, Thailand.

Diop also expressed the willingness of the global Bank to support the development of an economic zone along the standard gauge railway (SGR) corridor.

A statement by the finance ministry said discussions focused on improving the performance of projects mostly affected by unnecessary delays in procurement, acquisition of the right of way and starting projects which are not studied and ready for implementation.

It also said the meeting discussed progress on the Development Policy Operation (DPO) and the prior actions which are in advanced stages of conclusion.

Minister Musasizi thanked the World Bank for its continued support and contribution to Uganda’s growth and development in line with the Tenfold Growth Strategy.

Minister Musasizi thanked the World Bank for its continued support and contribution to Uganda’s growth and development in line with the Tenfold Growth Strategy.

“We remain committed to the agreed prior actions and would appreciate the Bank’s flexibility in ensuring that agreed actions are achievable within the stipulated timelines,” he said.

On improving the performance of projects, the minister said the reforms in procurement, including electronic government procurement, will reduce the lead time, adding that going forward, no project will be accepted without going through the public investment management system process.

He requested the Bank to commence discussions on potential projects and programmes under IDA22, including blended financing towards the construction of the 800MW Ayago hydro-power dam, SGR (Kampala-Kasese corridor), Irrigation, Private Sector Development and support to Urban infrastructure development.

Earlier, the minister and his delegation participated in the World Bank Africa Group 32nd Constituency meeting, which focused on framing the jobs and economic transformation agenda, which is central to the World Bank Group engagement.

The 22-country member group also discussed how to convert growth into more and better jobs, with a specific focus on five priority sectors, which are: Infrastructure and energy, agribusiness, healthcare, tourism and value-added manufacturing

During the Constituency meeting, Musasizi was officially welcomed to the Africa Group 1 Constituency as a new Governor for the Republic of Uganda.

The minister and his delegation also bid farewell to the outgoing Executive Director for Africa Group 1 Constituency Dr. Zarau Kibwe, and welcomed the new Executive Director, Lonkhululeko Magagula.