Uganda , Kenya Mark Milestone on Strengthening Urban Resilience to Emerging Disaster , Climate Risk

Uganda and Kenya have taken a significant step toward building a resilient cross-border future with the successful conclusion of the inaugural Uganda-Kenya Joint Meeting on Urban Resilience, held from June 3–5, 2025, in Busia, Uganda. The three-day meeting organized with the support of UNDP with funds from the Republic of Korea, and the Kingdoms of Luxembourg and Denmark, brought together high-level delegations from both nations to address shared challenges posed by climate change and urban disaster risks in the different municipalities of Busia.

Led by Ambassador Eunice Kigenyi, Deputy Head of Mission and Chargé d’Affaires a.i. at the Uganda High Commission in Nairobi, and Mr. Joel Wamalwa, Chief Executive Officer of the Lake Victoria North Water Works Development Agency for Kenya, the meeting marked a milestone in regional cooperation and environmental diplomacy.

The Uganda Delegation was multi-sectoral, including officials from the Uganda High Commission, Nairobi, Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Works and Transport, Local Government, Water and Environment, Health and the Busia Municipality leadership comprising of the RDC, Member of Parliament, Mayor, Town Clerk, Speaker and staff.

The Kenyan delegation included officials from the Ministries of Water, Interior, and Foreign and Diaspora Affairs—illustrating the country’s cross-ministerial commitment.

Tackling Shared Climate Vulnerabilities Head-On

 

In his opening address, Mr. Fenard M. Katunda, Town Clerk of Busia Municipality (Uganda), emphasized the region’s growing exposure to climate-induced disasters. He cited rapid urbanization, deforestation, and encroachment on wetlands as major contributors to recurrent flooding and infrastructural damage, exacerbated by weak storm-water systems, poor waste management, and limited public awareness.

“Mr. Katunda urged the need to harmonize our cross-border policies and strengthen institutional coordination to safeguard lives, livelihoods, and ecosystems,”

Key Challenges at the Heart of the Agenda

The bilateral session surfaced a range of pressing concerns impacting both municipalities, for instance:

• Frequent Flooding due to overwhelmed drainage systems.

• Environmental Degradation, including deforestation and wetland loss.

• Public Health Risks from waterborne diseases like cholera and typhoid.

• Economic Disruptions impacting cross-border trade and infrastructure.

• Inadequate Early Warning Systems and limited disaster preparedness.

• Weak Enforcement of existing environmental regulations.

 

A Unified Vision for Action

Reaffirming the need for joint action, His Worship Mr. Amin Sadik Agele, Mayor of Busia Municipality, called for the creation of collaborative frameworks for flood management and climate adaptation stating that “the challenges we face do not respect borders. Our response must be as unified as the threats are shared.”

Echoing this, Mr. Kisuyi Abdul Nasser, Assistant Resident District Commissioner, advocated for the development of joint Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and a regional action plan grounded in community involvement.

Diplomacy Driving Solutions

Ambassador Kigenyi praised the bilateral engagement and Kenya’s mobilization of a multi-sectoral team. Uganda’s delegation, she noted, included representatives from the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Local Government, Health, Environment, and Transport, highlighting the country’s comprehensive approach where she highlighted how “the past efforts were often limited by fragmentation and funding gaps.’  She further stated how this joint platform, supported by partners like the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) offers a renewed path toward resilience,” Ambassador Kigenyi also highlighted the underscoring importance of leveraging frameworks such as the Uganda-Kenya Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC).

Kenya’s delegation leader, Mr. Wamalwa, expressed appreciation for Uganda’s hospitality and reinforced Kenya’s dedication to a resilient and sustainable urban future for the Busia region.

Expressing gratitude for the support of development partners Republic of Lorea, Luxembourg and Denmark, Mr. Ian King, the UNDP Deputy Resident Representative for Uganda said that the project support resulted from discussions with the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in charge of Regional Affairs Hon. John Mulimba.

Way Forward

The session concluded with a strong mutual commitment to: Develop a comprehensive cross-border resilience strategy, establish harmonized urban planning and environmental policies, and Pursue technical and financial partnerships to support the implementation of resilience-building projects across the region.

Both delegations also agreed to institutionalize the bilateral engagement as an annual platform for reviewing progress, sharing best practices, and reinforcing collaboration on climate adaptation and urban disaster risk reduction in the Busia municipalities.