The Ugandan National Planning Authority has been making plans for the country’s economic transformation over the next 30 years. Life expectancy is projected to increase from the current level of 51.5 years to 85 years. Average income per person per year is projected to have risen from the current level of $506 to $9,500. The infant mortality rate is projected to drop from 63 per 100,000 live births to 4 per 100,000.
These are fine targets to aim for, but how can they be achieved? The projections require an annual GDP growth rate of 8.2%, with growth coming mainly from oil and gas resources, agricultural reforms, tourism and increased employment. Countries such as South Korea and Malaysia have demonstrated that sustained economic growth from a low base is achievable given appropriate policies and conditions.
However, Uganda went through a national planning process in 1999 to create a vision for prosperity in the year 2025, but that project seems to have fallen by the wayside. In order to achieve sustained economic development, significant cultural changes and commitment are required. It is yet to be seen whether the country’s leadership will be willing to take the necessary steps.