By Okello Joshua Oscar
The Ministry of ICT and National Guidance signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Innovation Village team today to support and grow Uganda’s innovation ecosystem.
The partnership will unlock market opportunities for ICT innovators and facilitate a legal framework that will drastically transform Uganda’s innovation landscape toward achieving socio-economic development.
Dr Aminah Zawedde, permanent secretary at the ministry, said that this partnership will unlock market opportunities for innovators, as well as facilitate a legal framework that will drastically transform Uganda’s innovation landscape toward achieving socio-economic development.
“Today we are here to show our support as a government, and commitment to the innovators,” Zawedde, said at the signing ceremony. “Our goal is that at the end of the day, this ecosystem strengthens, growth in employment, and opportunities are created.”
Zawedde went on to say that they would review and assess progress after two years. “This is an MOU with a roadmap of what we want to achieve,” she said. “Government has good intentions towards this initiative.”
She also remarked that government will not leave people to grow their small innovations only for them to go to waste.
“We believe this collaboration will strengthen the innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem in Uganda through championing the establishment of an enabling policy environment,” CK Japheth said from his position on behalf of the Innovation Village team. “It will also attract financing and investment opportunities for our innovators.”
Under the partnership, the two entities will collaborate to design, build, and finance the ICT ecosystem to thrive in Uganda. This will encompass knowledge and expertise sharing with the government and an annual update on the progress made to get more youth to work using technology.
