Uganda

The Programme aspires to implement a three-level approach in order to contribute to the promotion of structural improvements of the Ugandan cooperative system.

At macro level, DGRV cooperates with the Bank of Uganda (BoU), the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Cooperatives (MTIC) and the National Planning Authority (NPA).  The overall goal of the partnership with BoU is to establish a suitably structured, systematic and effective supervisory function for Savings- and Credit Cooperatives (SACCOs). The German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht BaFin) joins forces in this initiative.

Potential synergies and areas of support with MTIC and NPA have been identified prioritizing the need of a functional regulatory regime for cooperatives in general and harmonizing sector wide donor support.

At meso level, DGRV is strengthening national and regional networks of cooperatives to become relevant facilitators for their member organisations. It is of crucial importance for the advancement of primary cooperatives that they receive a wide range of adequate trainings for all their functions from accounting to internal control as well as from management skills to good governance. One of DGRV`s key partners in this regard is the Caritas network.

At micro level, DGRV recognizes the importance of cooperatives to provide access to finance for the poor, to boost production in the agricultural sector as well as to contribute to sustainable energy. Under the latter category, the partnership with GIZ promotes opportunities to enable strong cooperatives to realize economic benefits through the production and use of decentralized renewable energies.

Also, at grass roots level, DGRV cooperates with the Catholic Workers Movement (CWM) on the development of Loans and Savings Associations (SLAs) supporting their mobilization and professionalization as one way to ensure financial inclusion of the poor segments of society.