Mobilizing Domestic Revenues in Aid-Dependent Uganda (Project Brief)

In aid-dependent Uganda, tapping into newly discovered oil reserves has the potential to transform the composition of public revenues and enhance fiscal space for social development. In a context of increasing electoral competition, the Ugandan government has recently legislated social policies aimed at reducing poverty. However, patronage and political pressures on the public budget mean that these policies are not receiving sufficient funding to adequately address poverty and social exclusion. Changing socioeconomic and political processes will also have consequences for Uganda’s relations with the donor community, and the country’s current dependence on aid is likely to decline.

For more information on the project, see Project Brief 1. The Project Briefs of the case studies of Zimbabwe and Bolivia are available online.

This brief was prepared by Katja Hujo and Ines Schjolberg Marques.

UNRISD Project Briefs pose questions, flag ideas and contribute knowledge that can improve the quality of development debates, policy and practice. They provide a concise summary of an UNRISD research project, situating it within wider social development debates; outlining its focus, objectives and methodology; and highlighting interim findings.