ESIA and SEA system strengthening

The National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) of Uganda and the NCEA have a long-standing partnership with a broad focus on strengthening ESIA and SEA systems in the country. 

ESIA system strengthening
Interventions are based on an ESY map workshop in 2023 where strengths and weaknesses of Uganda’s ESIA system were evaluated and opportunities for improvement were identified. The full workshop report can be accessed here. Based on this ESY map workshop and interactions with NEMA and other key stakeholders, the NCEA was asked by the NEMA to provide support in the following areas:

• ESIA review: while the ESIA system in Uganda is well established, there is still room to improve the ESIA review processes. NEMA particularly wants to raise the quality of its reviews through improving communication and inputs delivered by other Ministries, NEMA field offices and decentral authorities.
• ESIA follow up: our interactions with NEMA and key stakeholders in Uganda highlight that resource allocation, strengthening capacities and institutional coordination in ESIA monitoring and enforcement are high priorities. The NCEA support will particularly be towards activities that aim at strengthening the link between ESIAs, licensing conditions and inspections and at establishing mechanisms for coordination and collaboration in compliance monitoring and enforcement.

SEA system strengthening
Since the adoption of SEA regulations in 2020, various plans have been developed with the support of this instrument. However, SEA is still not widely applied when it comes to plans with strategic importance. In the coming years, the NCEA will support NEMA and other relevant institutions in initiatives aimed at strengthening knowledge and skills for effective SEA’s and promoting the broader integration of SEA into planning processes.