In the 2019 spring meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, twenty-seven ministers formed the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action. This is meant to get ministers of finance around the globe to understand climate change and incorporate it into financial and monetary policies. Today, the coalition has 102 member countries. For two years, from 2025, Uganda will provide leadership to the coalition as a co-chair together with Netherlands. One of Uganda’s first acts was on February 9-11, 2026, where the country hosted the Global Annual In-person Deputies Meeting in Kampala where the 2026-2028 Climate Action Framework was concluded. In an interview, Dr Sam Mugume Koojo, the technical coordinator of the Uganda Secretariat, administered at Economic Policy Research Centre, explained Uganda’s role.

What does co-chairing the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action mean for Uganda?

The advantage with this position, as co-chair, is strong for the country. It shows the country’s leadership at global level, recognising that Uganda is leading all the 102 countries, including USA, the Netherlands, UK, all of them. We are also taking advantage of this position to highlight what we have. To highlight our challenges. And to highlight the local solutions that we are using.

Domestically, we are relating very strongly with the climate finance unit and Ministry of Water and Environment. We are currently working on a programme that is looking at [public] debt. We are calling it Uganda’s country proof on debt sustainability analysis, including adaptation and resilience.

We are using our numbers to show that when you add resilience and adaptation investments in the debt sustainability framework, countries that are vulnerable and investing in adaptation and resilience can get a better portfolio. We are doing it for Uganda, but we are escalating it to more countries so that they can [learn from it]. We are [also] going to put the tool that we shall develop at open source, and countries will be able to take it up.

Uganda formed a Climate Finance Unit. What does it do?

Our climate finance unit was established by the Ministry of Finance four years ago. It is still at the infancy stage, but it is among the first in Africa, and people are benchmarking here. It helps the Ministry of Finance to get more engaged in climate change action, especially in making sure we meet global commitments, and implement the National Adaptation Plans. The main objective is to ensure we raise funds for climate action. Two, to ensure that funds are well spent, monitored, reduced duplication, and used by the right beneficiary. All this is the role of Climate Finance Unit.

Our unit has already produced a plan for climate finance in the country. They have done a taxonomy. A taxonomy is a catalogue of investments that are green, so that you can receive funds. I have seen many countries like Zambia looking forward to coming [here] and get experience from u. I have seen Togo, I have seen Liberia, wanting to learn from us and what we are doing.

Since Uganda assumed co-chairmanship of the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action, what has it achieved?

I will tell you it is positive although I cannot attribute it to the Coalition itself. The Coalition itself, for me, for my country, has increased the understanding of climate change within the country. Other countries are learning from us. And we can see now that issues we bring up are adopted by other countries. The good thing, if one country takes up an [issue]and takes it to the European Union, then it is taken up by everybody. But I see also other countries in Africa taking up this.

Dr Sam Mugume Koojo

Uganda assumed the co-chairmanship of the Coalition at the time when the United States was pulling back from climate change commitments. How has it affected you?

The United States is important. The coalition is hosted by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) as a secretariat, and the US’s influence on World Bank and IMF is known by everybody. Once the US pulled out of this climate thing, it became a little hard for the bank which is the secretariat. We could see that even when the bank cannot say that. But the leadership of the bank was focused. We had to double work or triple. Good enough, that is when you see Denmark come and support us. People have come in, and people understand this is our problem more than any other person, because we are the vulnerable people, we are the poor people. And if we do not make our economies resilient, and our households are resilient, then we shall suffer more and remain poverty.

Watch full interview here: Climate Change: How Uganda inspires action through co-chairing the coalition of finance ministers

Featured Photo Credit: Innovation Village