The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has agreed to advance to Uganda a loan facility of One Billion US Dollars (about Shs 3.5 Trillion).
IMF, in a statement issued on Tuesday, June 01, 2021, the agreement was reached in a virtual IMF visit led by the head of Africa Division Amine Mati in February, March of this year and from May 25-May 28, 2021. It will be a three-year-long program under the Extended Credit Facility.
This means Uganda will receive the loan in three installments, perhaps 330 million dollars per financial year.
The staff-level agreement is subject to IMF management approval and Executive Board consideration, which is expected in the coming weeks, Mati said in a statement.
“The IMF-supported program supports the next phase of the COVID-19 response and strengthens the fundamentals of a more inclusive private sector-led growth,” Mati said. “As the pandemic eases, it envisages a return to revenue-based fiscal consolidation while increasing priority social spending, including on COVID-19 vaccines and to protect vulnerable households, and more efficient infrastructure investment.”
Mati warned that strengthening governance and budget transparency will be key to fostering public sector efficiency while preparing the ground for sound management of oil revenues.
According to the IMF statement, the government committed to strengthening fighting corruption and it will be publishing procurement contracts.
“The authorities’ commitment to strengthen anti-corruption efforts is welcomed and encouraged. Further progress with publishing COVID-19 procurement contracts and providing information on the use of funds to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 is expected in the next few days, in line with the government’s commitments,” Mati said.
And managing public investment appropriately, reducing domestic arrears, as well as strengthening cash management, IMF said will be critical priorities for improving the business climate and attracting private investment.
Ugandan officials who oversaw the loan facility, according to the statement, includes Minister of Finance, Mr. [Matia] Kasaija, acting Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury, Mr. [Patrick] Ocailap; Governor of the Bank of Uganda (BoU), Mr. [Tumusiime] Mutebile; Deputy Governor of the BoU, Mr. Atingi-Ego; and other BoU and senior government officials.
“[IMF] Staff also had productive discussions with representatives of Parliament, the private sector, civil society organizations, and development partners.”
This is the second loan that Uganda is taking from the IMF since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Uganda last year borrowed USD 491.5 million roughly 1.7 trillion Shilling under the Rapid Credit Facility, a programme that provides access to rapid and concessional financial assistance to Low-Income Countries facing urgent balance of payments needs.