[{"bbox": [85, 154, 323, 187], "category": "Section-header", "text": "# 2 RATIONALE"}, {"bbox": [85, 220, 234, 247], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 2.1 Context"}, {"bbox": [98, 266, 400, 291], "category": "Section-header", "text": "### Political and Financial outlook"}, {"bbox": [96, 319, 1134, 479], "category": "Text", "text": "After a tense post-electoral period, Uganda has returned to relative calm, but underlying challenges remain. Uganda is facing a high population growth, insufficient investments in social sectors, high unemployment and pressure on natural resources. The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated socio-economic problems, increasing poverty and inequalities. The lack of prospects for youth is a key driver for conflict. The shrinking space for civil society organisations (CSOs) has attracted significant attention internationally, putting the EU and other partners in a difficult spot vis-à-vis Government and vis-à-vis public opinion both locally and in Europe."}, {"bbox": [96, 508, 1134, 615], "category": "Text", "text": "Meanwhile, as a relative anchor of stability, benefiting both from geographical location and constant leadership, Uganda has nurtured a wide range of relations and the country remains a coveted partner of a number of global and emerging powers. This generates a competitive environment, marked by increased foreign interference and manipulation of information."}, {"bbox": [96, 641, 1134, 775], "category": "Text", "text": "While the economic situation is improving, growth for FY 2022/23 is forecasted at 5.1% (up from 3.9% in FY 2021/20). The fiscal space has narrowed and public debt saw a sharp rise, to reach a debt to GDP ratio of 52.9%. The IMF extended credit facility of USD 1Bn was approved in July 2021 and the recent review was concluded positively, notwithstanding several targets being pushed forward. Macroeconomic risks are linked to high inflation and rising borrowing costs."}, {"bbox": [98, 800, 355, 825], "category": "Section-header", "text": "### Rationale and Assessment"}, {"bbox": [96, 853, 1134, 960], "category": "Text", "text": "The support measures will aim to achieve two objectives: (i) to provide a flexible facility to support donor coordination, analysis and overall support to the EU's partnership with Uganda; (ii) to allow engaging in a professional campaign for strategic communication around the EU's presence in Uganda, Team Europe and Global Gateway."}, {"bbox": [85, 1000, 342, 1031], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 2.2 Problem Analysis"}, {"bbox": [98, 1047, 317, 1074], "category": "Text", "text": "Short problem analysis:"}, {"bbox": [96, 1100, 1134, 1340], "category": "Text", "text": "Component 1: the relation between development partners and Government is marked by distrust, with shrinking space for civil society and increasing control and oversight. The country has adopted a comprehensive development policy, with strong requirements vis a vis development partners in terms of transparency, reporting and accountability. In this context, intensive donor coordination, as well as regular research and analysis are needed to inform and adjust the EU's objectives and policy priorities in Uganda. In parallel, in view of the Mid-Term Review of the MIP expected in 2024, studies, analysis, technical assistance, events and seminars are considered necessary to inform the second phase of NDICI. Additionally, monitoring, reporting and verification are critical to ensure sound implementation of EU-funded actions and monitoring of specific indicators such as EU \"spending targets\" on climate change, gender, human development, education and migration."}, {"bbox": [96, 1377, 1134, 1538], "category": "Text", "text": "Component 2: the previous approach to communication and visibility under the EDF has demonstrated important weaknesses, including the lack of streamlined communication processes, incapacity to reach certain segments of the population, insufficient presence on social media etc... The new approach to strategic communication seeks to achieve more professional communication and branding, more effective outreach to most relevant target audiences, increased presence on social media and a strong strategy to counter the anti EU narrative and misinformation. The EU perception survey will help to feed into the strategy to be developed under this component."}, {"bbox": [1038, 1682, 1142, 1706], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 4 of 11"}]