Development & Conservation
MTWA leads government investment in Uganda's tourism infrastructure, wildlife conservation, and cultural heritage — partnering with international funders and communities to protect and develop the Pearl of Africa.
Active Project · GEF / UNEP Funded
Project Components
KLICDP
A Government of Uganda project funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), implemented by MTWA in collaboration with national and district partners. The project targets the ecologically critical Kidepo landscape in North-Eastern Uganda — spanning the Kidepo Valley National Park (KVNP), Karenga Community Wildlife Area (KCWA), and nine Central Forest Reserves.
The Kidepo landscape hosts over 412 recorded plant species and iconic wildlife including the striped hyena, cheetah, greater and lesser kudu, African wild dog, and roan antelope — making its conservation a national and global priority.
Project Goal
Promote conservation & sustainable management of biodiversity in the Kidepo transboundary landscape
Implementing Agency
MTWA + national & district partners
Funder
GEF through UNEP
Project Sites
Kaabong, Kotido, Abim, Karenga, Agago, Kitgum, Lamwo
All Projects
Completed
GoU Budget
Tourism Infrastructure
Improving trails, bridges, accommodation, safety and communication infrastructure along the Mountains of the Moon to grow visitor numbers and tourism revenue from Uganda's third-highest peak in Africa.
Completed
GoU Budget
Tourism Infrastructure
Developing an integrated tourism circuit around Entebbe — connecting UWEC, the Botanical Gardens, Lutembe Ramsar site, and Ngamba Island — to grow domestic and international visitor numbers.
Completed
GoU Budget
Culture & Heritage
Renovating the National Museum, constructing three regional museums, and developing 15 cultural heritage sites across Uganda — increasing the country's cultural tourism competitiveness to match Kenya and Tanzania.
Completed
EIF Funded
Trade & Livelihoods
A three-year Tier II project funded by the Enhanced Integrated Framework, creating market linkages between craft producers, associations, and the tourism industry — improving livelihoods for Uganda's most marginalised communities.
Tourism Infrastructure · Completed
The Rwenzori Mountains — Africa's "Mountains of the Moon" — form Uganda's largest mountain range and its highest peak at 5,109 metres above sea level. Identified by National Geographic Society in 2011 as one of the World's 15 best hikes, the range is a global biodiversity hotspot providing carbon storage, fresh water, and forest resources to surrounding communities.
Despite its world-class status, visitor numbers stagnated near 2,000 annually — a fraction of Mt. Kilimanjaro's 52,000 visitors in 2012. Poor trail conditions, worn-out bridges, inadequate accommodation, limited safety facilities, and a poor access road (19 km from the tarmac to the UWA gate) were identified as the principal constraints.
To broaden Uganda's mountain tourism product base by improving existing trails, establishing shorter routes, upgrading bridges, providing eco-friendly accommodation, improving tourist safety infrastructure, and enhancing the Kasese road to the park gate.
Tourism Infrastructure · Completed
Integrating Uganda's gateway city into a world-class lakeside tourism destination — connecting four iconic attractions on Lake Victoria.
Lake Victoria, Africa's largest freshwater lake with a surface area of 68,800 km² shared between Uganda (45%), Tanzania (49%), and Kenya (6%), provides biodiversity and scenic beauty that can anchor a world-class tourism product. The Entebbe area — gateway to Uganda's international airport — was experiencing growing visitor numbers yet lacked the facilities to capture tourism value.
The project established an integrated tourism circuit linking UWEC, the Botanical Gardens, Lutembe Ramsar site, and Ngamba Island through upgraded boat infrastructure, interpretation centres, and visitor facilities.
Culture & Heritage · Completed
Uganda's cultural heritage assets are among its most undervalued tourism resources. While Kenya operates 8 regional museums and Tanzania 10, Uganda had only one developed National Museum and two regional museums — none meeting international standards. Uganda has over 640 registered archaeological, palaeontological, historical, and traditional sites but only 10 are gazetted and one developed.
The project mandated the Museums and Monuments Department to renovate the National Museum, construct three new regional museums, and develop 15 cultural heritage sites — transforming Uganda's cultural tourism offering and increasing earnings from this sector.
To increase the contribution of cultural heritage to tourism earnings by developing museums and cultural sites to international standards and improving visitor experiences across Uganda.
Trade & Livelihoods · Completed
Linking craft producers, associations, and traders with the tourism industry to grow Uganda's non-traditional exports and support marginalised communities.
The Handicrafts and Souvenir Development Project (HSDP) was funded by the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) and implemented by MTWA. Aligned with Uganda Vision 2040, the National Trade Policy 2008, and the National Tourism Development Master Plan, the project supported government's efforts to diversify and increase exports of non-traditional products while creating employment.
The programme focused on creating linkages between producers, associations, and traders of handcrafted products and the tourism industry — targeting some of Uganda's most marginalised communities with interventions in product development, production capacity, and market access.
