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Citizen Posts
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In a strategic move to foster green and decent employment opportunities for Ugandan youth, Enabel, the Belgian agency for international cooperation, and the Uganda Hotel and Tourism Training Institute (UHTTI) have signed a €260,000 grant agreement to support skills development in the Tourism and Hospitality sector.
The grant is provided under Enabel’s WeWork Project, co-funded by the European Union, which promotes Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in sectors with high job-creation potential.
Coming at the heels of the successful Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo (POATE 2025) and the 2nd Annual Sustainable Tourism Awards, this grant signals a renewed commitment to tourism as a key driver of inclusive, sustainable economic growth, aligned with Uganda’s national development priorities.
Through this partnership, Enabel joins the government of Uganda to support the ongoing efforts to elevate UHTTI into a Centre of Excellence in tourism and hospitality training in the region. The support will focus on curriculum development, staff capacity building, digitalisation, entrepreneurship, gender mainstreaming, and improved collaboration with the private sector to improve employment outcomes for Ugandan youth. As part of the partnership, UHTTI will work with the leading Belgian Hotel School Ter Duinen to exchange expertise across pedagogy, management and governance.
Tom Vanneste, Country Director of Enabel Uganda, said:
“We feel privileged as Enabel to support the Ugandan government multi-million investment in UHTTI to help it become a hospitality centre of excellence for the country and the region and to support the ambition to make Uganda the leading sustainable tourism destination in Africa and the tourism industry a driver of job creation for Ugandans.”
Mr Sanne Willems, Team Leader, EU Deegation Uganda, said:
“Team Europe is pleased to partner with Uganda on the development of the local tourism sector. Alongside Belgium, the EUR 50 million (UGX 207 billion) WeWork supports the creation of green and decent jobs for the Ugandan youth as well as youth-led enterprise development in the tourism sector. We, therefore, see UHTTI as natural partners for us.”
Mr. Richard Kawere, Principal of UHTTI, noted:
“The grant is a testament to Enabel’s commitment to supporting Uganda’s development and strengthening our tourism sector. It is more than just a financial injection; it represents a vote of confidence in our institute’s potential to shape the future of Uganda’s tourism industry.”
This partnership not only strengthens UHTTI’s role as a premier tourism training institution but also serves as a national example of how collaboration between government and development partners can deliver long-term impact.
By equipping young Ugandans with future-focused, relevant skills and embedding sustainability in tourism training, this initiative lays the groundwork for a more resilient, inclusive, and competitive tourism sector in Uganda.
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