GPPi co-organized roundtable discussion on the role of private donors in Uganda

In collaboration with the World Bank and the Norwegian Embassy in Uganda, GPPi organized a roundtable discussion on December 11 in Kampala, Uganda. The objective of the roundtable is to discuss findings and recommendations from a case study on the role of private actors – and specifically companies and foundations – in Uganda. Participants included representatives from foundations, companies, as well as bilateral and multilateral donor organizations.

Private actors are playing an increasingly significant role in international development. Companies are expanding their corporate social responsibility activities, channeling additional resources into development projects or aligning their core business to help target solutions to social problems. Foundations like the Gatsby Trust, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation or the Rockefeller Foundation are increasingly involved as they continue to give and expand the range of their activities in the developing world. Venture philanthropists are setting their sights on ventures that can solve development problems while also developing viable organizations or businesses. The World Bank, in partnership with the Government of Norway and the W. F. Kellogg Foundation, launched a major study to examine recent trends of international private actors’ involvement in Sub-Saharan Africa and how they contribute to solving development problems. This study also seeks to examine ways that private actors approach achieving greater and longer lasting development impact and opportunities to increase collaboration. The larger study is undertaking three country case studies: Ghana, Uganda, Liberia. 

In August, the Uganda case study was launched. It seeks to analyze the role of international and Uganda based private actors in Uganda. The World Bank implements the study in collaboration with GPPi. The study seeks to accomplish three objectives: First, to attain a comprehensive overview of private donor flows to Uganda; second, to arrive at a better understanding of operating models and intervention designs that private donors utilize to achieve their objectives; and third to understand the dynamics between the private actors, official donors, and the government.