[Press Release] BRIDGIN Foundation provides a Grant of USD 500 Million to the Uganda Government for the Higher Education Sector

President Museveni (Centre), First Lady Janet Kataaha Museveni, and Prof Tanko (3rd L) pose for a photo with a delegation from BRIDGIN Foundation and other dignitaries after signing the agreements at Entebbe

Kampala, 12 April 2022. The BRIDGIN Foundation is to provide a grant of US500 million to Uganda Government to establish four High Tech Higher Education centres in Uganda including a Medical Hospital for Makerere University. The Grant includes US$65 million for construction of the Headquarters of the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) – construction of a multipurpose Offices building, a Hotel, a Conference Centre, High Tech Laboratory facility, and a Visiting scholars facility. This is in line with the commitment Uganda Government made in 2003 in its bid to host the RUFORUM Headquarters where the Government pledged to establish the Secretariat in Uganda and to provide the necessary protocol support.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Uganda, Kaguta Museveni, the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Kataaha Museveni, other Uganda Ministers and officials, the President and CEO of the BRIDGIN Foundation, Prof Tanko Mouhamadou, Israel Ambassador to Uganda, Uganda Ambassador to Brussels, amongst the many dignitaries who attended the event. The Executive Secretary of RUFORUM, Prof Adipala Ekwamu, attended the event.

During the signing ceremony event which was held at State House Entebbe, President Museveni praised the BRIDGIN Foundation funders for their Humanitarian approach to development support and pledged that Uganda will use the facilities to build its science, technology and innovation capacity. The Uganda First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Kataaha Museveni, who negotiated for the Grant, thanked RUFORUM for its role in facilitating development of the Project proposal and in championing greater interactions amongst universities across Africa. She hoped that the RUFORUM facilities being constructed would inspire greater collaboration amongst Higher Education institutions across Africa.

press-release-on-bridgin-grant-12-april-2022-1Download

Contacts:
Evaline Acan Corporate Communications and Advocacy Officer Email: communications@ruforum.org