Nebbi, Uganda: Nebbi District leaders and a visiting delegation from Lesotho have called for strengthened bilateral cooperation to advance climate adaptation initiatives under the Local Climate Adaptive Living (LOCAL) Facility.
The call was made during a high-level benchmarking visit by Lesotho officials to Nebbi District, currently ranked Uganda’s best-performing pilot district in implementing the LOCAL project.
The one-day engagement, held at the RDC’s office in Nebbi Municipality, brought together officials from both countries to share experiences on climate resilience, financing, and community-based adaptation.
United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) Technical Support Officer for West Nile, Adima Morise, said the visit aims to deepen knowledge exchange between the two countries.
“Uganda and Lesotho are among the few countries globally implementing the LOCAL project. There is need to learn from each other, especially on sustainability, resource mobilisation, and community ownership,” Morise said.
He noted that Uganda ranks among the top countries globally in mobilising resources for climate adaptation and leads in effective implementation of the initiative.
The Head of Delegation from Lesotho, Mabohlokoa Tau, who is also the UNCDF National Coordinator in Lesotho, said the visit comes at a critical time as her country prepares to scale up the project.
“Lesotho is still in phase one and facing challenges in implementation. We believe that learning from Nebbi will help us improve as we prepare to move to phase two,” Tau said.
She added that Uganda’s experience offers valuable lessons in sustainability, planning, and execution of climate adaptation projects.
Nebbi District Natural Resources Officer Doreen Fualing attributed the district’s success to effective climate financing through UNCDF support.
She revealed that over the past two financial years, Nebbi has received approximately UGX 1.48 billion for climate adaptation projects, including Gottar Valley Dam (UGX 314 million), Jupatombu Footbridge (UGX 367 million), and the Jupala Centre Valley Dam (UGX 371 million).
These projects have significantly improved water access, infrastructure, and resilience among local communities.
Nebbi’s performance was also recognised in the latest National Performance Assessment by the Office of the Prime Minister.
Nebbi District Chairperson Emmanuel Urombi said the visit highlights growing cooperation between Uganda and Lesotho. “This visit underscores the importance of collaboration and knowledge sharing in strengthening service delivery and improving livelihoods,” Urombi said.
Deputy Resident District Commissioner Paul Bweri Ogallo echoed the sentiment, saying the partnership will enhance institutional coordination. “We remain committed to working with Lesotho to strengthen systems that safeguard lives, livelihoods, and ecosystems,” Ogallo noted.
Officials from both countries say continued collaboration will be key in addressing climate challenges, particularly in vulnerable communities.
The LOCAL project, supported by UNCDF, focuses on financing locally-led climate adaptation solutions, empowering districts to respond effectively to environmental risks.
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