Uganda has on Wednesday been elected as first Vice Chair of the African Union Specialized Technical Committee (AUSTC) on Local Government, Public Services, Urbanization and Human Settlement.
This was during the Committee’s fourth regular session sitting in Cairo, Egypt from August 29 to 31. Uganda was represented by the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Hon Judith Nabakooba.
It had been held under the auspices of Egypt’s President, Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi.
The Conference attended by African Ministers of Local Development sought to exchange experiences to face African challenges, review climate change and food security files.
As first Vice Chair, Uganda will handle Urbanisation and human Settlement.
The Committee’s Chair is supposed to come from North Africa but due to unstated reasons, the block asked from some time to consult, prompting members to resolve that Uganda which is the 1st Vice Chair takes over the position in the interim.
Speaking to this news website, Hon Nabakooba who was elated by the development said it is a big achievement for Uganda.
“Uganda is the Acting Chair and I have started work on behalf of Uganda,” she said.
The conference hosted delegations from 55 African countries, along with representatives of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (Habitat) and the World Food Programme, the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa, and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.