• Uganda launches a World Bank–funded $200 million program to reform public investment
• $40 million will support project preparation and $160 million will fund priority projects
• The results-based program aims to fix delays, weak planning, and poor asset management

Uganda launched the Public Investment Management Plus (PIM PLUS) program on December 11 financed by a $200 million World Bank package. The initiative aims to reform and redefine how the government plans, prepares, executes, and manages public investments.

Of the total funding, $40 million will go to the project preparation mechanism overseen by the National Planning Authority (NPA). Another $160 million will finance public investment projects intended to support the targets of the fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV) and boost growth through implementation of the interministerial strategy (ATMS).

Funds will be disbursed based on agreed Disbursement Linked Indicators (DLIs) and Intermediate Results Indicators (IRIs). Ramathan Ggoobi, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Finance, said the results-based approach makes PIM PLUS more accountable and more effective, and better positions it to strengthen government institutions and deliver concrete outcomes.

In October, Uganda expressed its intention to seek new loans from international institutions to finance development programs and reinforce public services. A long-standing financial partner of the East African country, the World Bank suspended its funding in 2023 due to an anti-LGBT law, before resuming its commitments in 2025.

With PIM PLUS, the Ugandan government hopes to address challenges affecting public investment management, including weak project preparation, execution delays, poor monitoring and maintenance, and mismanagement of assets, which are estimated to cost more than $140 million per year.

Lydie Mobio