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MAY

Diaspora unit head, Bagonza leads delegation on benchmarking trip to Kenya

On Tuesday, the Ugandan High Commission in Kenya hosted a delegation from Uganda on a benchmarking visit. The delegation that included officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development was led by the Head of the State House Diaspora Unit, Mohammed Bagonza.

The delegation was warmly welcomed by Ambassador Eunice Kigenyi, the Chargé d’Affaires. They held discussions with leaders of the Ugandan diaspora in Kenya to gather insights for the formulation of the diaspora policy.

Mohammed Bagonza, the Senior Presidential Advisor on Diaspora Affairs and Head of the State House Diaspora Unit, addressing some of the members of the Uganda diaspora in Kenya.

During the discussions, the Ugandan diaspora raised several key issues for consideration in the policy, including:

1. Addressing the challenges faced by the diaspora when investing in Uganda.

2. Standardising educational qualifications between Kenya and Uganda.

3. Introducing health insurance schemes to support relatives back home.

4. Assisting migrant workers in distress, including provisions for repatriation.

5. Implementing financial packages to facilitate the sending of money home, with the goal of lowering remittance costs.

The following points were emphasised as essential for developing a comprehensive diaspora policy.

Bagonza, who is also a Senior Presidential Advisor on Diaspora Affairs, praised the diaspora for their contributions to the country’s development.He outlined several initiatives led by the government to enhance service delivery to the diaspora, including the Diaspora Application, which will serve as a one-stop center for all information related to diaspora services; the Diaspora Management and Information System for the registration of all Ugandans living abroad; and a toll-free communication center to promptly address concerns from the diaspora.

He encouraged members of the diaspora to establish associations to facilitate easier access to government support programs. The Ugandan delegation is on a three-day benchmarking visit to the Republic of Kenya, which recently launched its second diaspora policy in 2024. Kenya receives $4.19 billion in remittances from its citizens living abroad.