Uganda was a pioneer in the 1990s in developing many of the principles that underlie the current aid effectiveness agenda. However, the country’s aid management processes became stale in the 2000s. The new National Development Plan calls for a Partnership Policy to establish clear roles and responsibilities for government and development partners in delivering aid expenditures. The development of a Partnership Policy is an opportunity for a step change in the management of aid in Uganda.

In the context of reducing aid dependency, and relative increases in project aid, the authors of this Background Note draw from extensive experience of working in Uganda and elsewhere to set out some possible steps to improve aid effectiveness in Uganda, and ensure that the partnership between government and donors remains relevant.

The Background Note sets out four key strategies to improve aid effectiveness that are, in many ways they are consistent with, and support, the Paris Principles: ownership, alignment, harmonisation, and managing for results. Mutual accountability is also crucial, with a need to enhance accountability for project aid through the use of government systems.