At breakfast at 7 a.m. the Vice chancellor of Muni University and the Director VNG International signed off a Memorandum of Understanding underlying a strategic collaboration in strengthening research, documentation, experience sharing and knowledge management to address local governance, migration and development challenges in the West Nile region and Uganda at large.

The signing event is a special moment in the implementation path of the SDLG Programme, given the need to include the youth in Sustainable Development through improved Local Governance. VNG International and the University will structure programmes to create placement opportunities for students, get involved in TED type talks to appreciate the challenges, approaches and interventions in Local Governance. This collaboration is anchored on the desire of Muni University to provide outreach support to Local Governments in West Nile in response to the enormous challenges and development gaps faced in the region. Within the MoU, the role of West Nile Development Agency (WENDA) as a platform for engagement of Local Governments is critical in coordinating the Local Governments in the region in strengthening the collaboration.

The cooperation will also boost knowledge management in the field of refugee response and approaches by Local Governments and communities in West Nile. Both parties in the MoU are desirous of facilitating local governance leadership capacity development, partnership strengthening and community transformation through research, documentation, advisory services and stakeholder engagements across all levels of governance. The MoU is seen as a special and innovative collaboration resulting from a profound desire for engagements, scale up and informed governance, to be continued with publications for learning purposes.