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Capacity Enhancement of Ugandan Government Officials on Solid Waste and Faecal Sludge Management in the Republic of Korea

Through the project on “Strengthening Solid Waste and Faecal Sludge Management Capacity for Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area (GKMA)” funded by KOICA, under GGGI in partnership with the Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE), different Ugandan Government officials from concerned policy and waste management government entities traveled to Korea for a one-week ‘Knowledge Exchange Program.

GGGI organized this program with the objective of learning about waste management policy frameworks and applicable technologies for effective waste management. Therefore, this activity was carried out to support the Government of Uganda with policy adoption and implementation, as well as the construction of infrastructures capable of managing increased waste generation due to the increase in population within the GKMA. In terms of the project, this strengthens the government entities’ partnership in achieving project outcomes 1, 2, and 3 of creating sustainable and improved solid waste and faecal sludge management systems within the GKMA.

From the 21st to 25th of November 2022, during the program, officials attended meetings with other Korean officials who were in charge of developing and implementing policies under the waste management act in Korea. The meetings were held with the Korea Environment Corporation, Seoul Institute for SWM and FSM with the Korea Water and Wastewater Works Association​ which gave the Ugandan government officials insights on better policy formulation, adoption, and implementation. Furthermore, the officials had an opportunity to do field visits and better understand waste management with related technology approaches used. Some of the sites visited included:

The Mapo Resource Recovery Center

This facility was established to reduce the use of landfills and encourage incineration as waste treatment, and the Government officials while at the facility got insights about the incineration process, recycling systems and the filtration systems used at the facility for better waste management. With better systems in place, such a facility can be replicated and reduce the pressure with the available landfills in the GKMA.

The Sudokwon Landfill Site. To create energy from waste, this landfill was designed and while at the site, officials were able to enhance their knowledge of the various treatment facilities and technologies that can be adopted for solid waste management, and sludge recycling to create a sustainable environment within the GKMA.

The Nanjido Ecopark (Landfill Recovery Project). Once a landfill and now transitioned into an ‘Eco Park’ the officials learned that it is possible to transition a landfill into something valuable that is beneficial not only for the citizens as a leisure place but also has the capacity to generate revenue for the government in form of tourism while contributing to the development of the GKMA with improved biodiversity.

Seonam Wastewater Treatment Plant. As a wastewater treatment facility, it provided government officials with information on sludge digestion tanks and purification elements. As a result of the selection of a Municipality like Mukono for the design of the FSTP in Uganda, both Mukono and other Municipalities can benefit on a larger scale, as after recycling it can be used in agriculture, and in the long run, can enable better sanitation services to the population within the GKMA by limiting health and environmental risks.

As a result, in regard to the project under GGGI, this knowledge exchange program was organized as a capacity-building component, with the intention that the lessons learned during the program can be replicated as a next step to create a sustainable environment within the GKMA, address the challenges related to solid waste and faecal sludge management policy formulation and implementation, with an emphasis on the importance of effective waste policy frameworks. This in the long run will help Uganda achieve its projections with its ‘Vision 2040’ of becoming a strong, inclusive, and sustainable Uganda.

Seven delegates from the following government entities participated in the Knowledge Exchange Program: Officials from the National Planning Authority, Ministry of Water and Environment, National Water and Sewerage Corporation, Ministry of Finance Planning and Economic Development, and Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development.

The second Uganda-Korea Knowledge Exchange Program will take place in the first half of 2023, focusing on local-level strategies, systems, and technologies that may be applicable in the local context of Uganda.


About Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA)

KOICA was established in 1991 to support the economic and social development of the partner countries. KOICA is a leading global development cooperation organization that conducts bilateral programs (project/development consulting), training programs (invitational training, scholarship), volunteering programs, multilateral cooperation, public-private partnership program, development innovation program, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and global disease eradication fund. KOICA Uganda office has been in cooperation with the government of Uganda since its opening in 2010.
For more information about KOICA, please visit: http://koica.go.kr

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