Moroto Leaders Commend Interventions by UN Agencies

Moroto district authorities have commended the interventions of United Nations Agencies in Karamoja sub region. 

The leaders expressed their appreciation during a joint field visit of the UN Executive Board Members of six Agencies in Uganda to the district on Tuesday.

 

The 35 members of the Executive Boards of UNDP, UNFPA, UNOPS, UNICEF, WFP and UN-Women were in Karamoja and West-Nile regions to assess the organisation's work in supporting the country's development efforts.

The team composed of diplomats from various countries and UN representatives will review how the UN is supporting the country to achieve its nationally led efforts to attain Sustainable Development Goals.

Moroto district chairperson, Andrew Keem Napaja says the UN interventions like food for children and the general community has helped to keep children at school and extended lives of vulnerable persons. 

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Joseph Osoto Opio, the Moroto Resident District Commissioner applauded the UN agency for children for interventions in female genital mutilation including education and protection of children. 

The acting district community development officer Moroto, Margie Lolem says the UN Women has empowered Karimojong women with skills to live respectable lives.  She notes that many women in Moroto now know their rights and are in business and own property. 

Aruk Richard Maruk, Mt. Moroto Regional Police Commander, commended the UN development programme for facilitating police with transport and other facilities to fight crime.

 

He also cites cross-border engagements that have enabled peaceful coexistence especially between Uganda and Kenya. Aruk appealed to the UN Board Members for more intervention into border insecurity especially on the establishment of police post at border points. 

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Jagdish Koonjul, the president of the UN executive board acknowledged the challenges of climate change that have affected the region and urged for the ownership of all UN interventions. 

He also called for proper coordination of activities and challenged local leaders on the change of the mindset especially against archaic cultural practices like child marriages and FGM. 

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The team visited Rupa HC11 and Rupa Police Station, which have been receiving various interventions from the UN family. The Karamoja and West-Nile regions visits are part of the annual joint field activities that offer the Board members opportunities to gain close insight into UN system-wide issues, inter-agency collaboration and coordination; and partnerships with strategic stakeholders in the SDG era including civil society, private sector, local diplomatic missions and others.

The board member's findings during the visit are expected to feed into the UN Secretary-General António Guterres' new reforms for better coordination, transparency and accountability, beginning with a new generation of demand-driven UN country teams, equipped with skillsets tailored to country-specific development priorities and needs.