Who We Are
About Us
We are an independent public policy research and advocacy think tank based in Uganda, working in the East and Southern Africa sub-regions on a range of public policy issues. Our core business is policy research and analysis, policy outreach and capacity building. Recognised among the Top-100 Think Tanks worldwide in 2017 Global Think Tank Index published by the University of Pennsylvania. Since its founding 22 years ago, ACODE has emerged as one of the leading regional public policy think tanks in Sub-Saharan African persuing four main objectives:
- strengthen public finance management and increase economic opportunities for vulnerable groups;
- strengthen democracy and security institutions;
- improve governance and sustainable utilisation of environment and natural resources.
- strengthen institutional capacity and enable policies for harnessing science, technology and innovation for sustainable development
As an independent organisation, ACODE does not align with any political party or political organisation. However, given the direct relationship between development policy and politics, we believe that our work is political and it must stand for certain political causes of a bi-partisan nature.
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Public dialogues conducted on contemporary public policy issues
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What People Say
What People Say About Us
Amb Deborah Malac
Former US Ambassador to Uganda
The Governance, Accountability, Participation, and Performance Program (GAPP) and its partners have provided research for fiscal policy reform and built organisational capacity of both civil society and private sector partners. They have strengthened the role of public accounts committees in Parliament and at the district. I want to single out ACODE, which through its advocacy and policy work has made a major impact on the legal and policy environment.
Hon. Peter Lokeris
Uganda's Minister of State for Mineral Development
Through organising multistakeholders dialogues, ACODE has promoted a national debate on oil governance and enhanced stakeholders’ knowledge in various aspects of the industry and promoted stakeholder participation in the development of the sector. I thank the people of ACODE as our partners in the dissemination of information about the mineral sector and especially the petroleum industry.
Ms Christine Echookit Akello
Former Deputy ED, National Environment Management Authority (NEMA)
ACODE has done a lot in terms policy and legislative reviews for the environmental governance in this country, as you may be aware, the National Environment Management Policy was made way back in 1994 and so we needed to review the performance of that policy even before we decided to have a new policy to replace it. So ACODE was contacted by NEMA to undertake a performance review of that policy, looking at the gaps, the challenges and where there has been success in terms of policy implications, implementation and the fact that the National Environment Management Policy is a framework policy that talks to other policies that are made in the field of environment.
Hon. Wilfred Niwagaba
Member of the Ugandan Parliament and Shadow Attoney General
ACODE contributed to the development of policy, legislation and institutional framework that relate to oil and gas sector. They also sponsored provisions in the oil and gas policies, laws and regulations that were adopted by the government. ACODE brought in experts to explain particular clauses to the Members of Parliament and generally made Members aware of their role. Most importantly, ACODE contributed towards strengthening Parliament's capacity to legislate for the oil and gas sector through training workshops for Parliamentarians which raised their knowledge levels and triggered formation of the Parliamentary Forum on Oil and Gas - a platform that has worked to improve oversight on the sector over the years.
Mr. Swizen Mugyema
Commissioner Local Council Development, Ministry of Local Government
The Scorecard initiative by ACODE has enhanced and encouraged positive competition because every other political leader in the districts where ACODE has conducted the assessment, there has been a tendency of people trying to do their best to appear at the end of the assessment as being reflected with a positive performance or the best performance among the elected leaders. The scorecard has been the best way to get an assessment of their performance and disseminate it to the electorate because those are the judges who determines their stay in office.
Hon. Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda
Member of the Ugandan Parliament
Without the hard work, research, and contacts with Civil Society especially ACODE, it would have been difficult for us [MPs] to pick both interest and knowledge in the oil and gas sector.
Shara Elem Aceng
Female Councillor (PWD), Apac District Local Government Council
I want to thank ACODE for the capacity building training that I have got on my role as a District Councillor. The training has helped me personally to know my role as a leader and that of the communities. I now know the different Committees, their function in the district council and my role as Chairperson of one of the Committees. The training has really helped me improve on my work.