AfDB approves $500,000 grant for Uganda flood response, signs anti-corruption pact with South Africa’s SIU

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has announced two major initiatives this week – the approval of a $500,000 emergency relief grant for Uganda and a new partnership with South Africa’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) to strengthen anti-corruption efforts across Africa.

In a statement from its headquarters in Abidjan on Friday, the Bank said the grant, drawn from its Special Relief Fund, will support Uganda’s Relief Emergency Response Project in districts devastated by recent floods and landslides.

The assistance will provide family-size tents for about 1,500 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Bulambuli, Kasese, and Ntoroko districts, where thousands have taken refuge after torrential rains in August triggered floods and landslides. Local authorities recorded five deaths, 50 injuries, destruction of about 2,000 homes, and the displacement of 5,000 people.

“Beyond emergency relief, the project is an investment in dignity, safety, and recovery,” said Mercuria Assefaw, Division Manager for Water Security and Sanitation at the AfDB. She explained that the intervention will improve living conditions in displacement camps while boosting the local economy through procurement and logistics.

The Office of the Prime Minister of Uganda will implement the project through the Department of Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Management, with activities expected to be completed within six months.

At the same time, the AfDB is ramping up efforts to combat corruption on the continent. On July 3, its Office of Integrity and Anti-Corruption (PIAC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with South Africa’s SIU to promote collaboration in tackling financial crime.

The agreement, signed in Pretoria, covers technical assistance, research, capacity building, and training. It was endorsed by Paula Santos Da-Costa, Director of PIAC, and Advocate Andy Mothibi, Head of the SIU.

Da-Costa described the partnership as a milestone in safeguarding development finance. “This agreement ensures resources are used for intended purposes, thereby enhancing Africa’s developmental goals,” she said, noting that SIU’s experience in asset recovery would be particularly valuable.

Mothibi welcomed the collaboration, stressing the need for accountability and effective use of public funds. He highlighted that the agreement comes at a time when South Africa holds the G20 presidency, offering opportunities to place issues of public integrity, asset recovery, and whistleblower protection at the centre of Africa’s anti-corruption agenda.

Together, the Bank’s humanitarian support in Uganda and its governance partnership with South Africa reflect its twin priorities of saving lives in emergencies and strengthening accountability frameworks critical to sustainable development.