AGP Executive Report

Ebola Emergency: WHO says DR Congo’s Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak has surged past 2,100 confirmed cases with 828 deaths, as conflict and community resistance keep transmission ahead of response; WHO warns cross-border risk toward Uganda as Ituri remains the epicentre. Uganda Health Milestone: Uganda discharged its last Ebola patient and has started a 42-day countdown to declare the country outbreak-free, while Congo continues to report new cases. Digital Regulation in Uganda: UCC paused enforcement on illegal Wi‑Fi hotspot operators after talks with the Alliance of Hotspot Operators Uganda, signaling a broader consultation to shape workable rules for grassroots connectivity. Rural Media Under Pressure: Rural/community radio stations warn they may not survive as advertising revenue shrinks, threatening content quality and professional operations. Road Safety Tech Push: Calls are growing to roll out Uganda’s revised Electronic Penalty System using cameras and number-plate recognition to curb speeding and reduce fatal crashes. Kampala Clean Air Plan: KCCA says it is expanding air-quality monitoring and cleaner transport to cut particulate pollution by 50% by 2030. STEM Education & Skills: IIT Madras awards 3,518 degrees and highlights its Zanzibar campus MTech batch with 100% placements, with students including Uganda’s. Tech for Work: SeamlessHR rebrands as Seamless Technologies, expanding workforce and AI solutions across Africa.

Ebola Response: Uganda discharged its last Bundibugyo Ebola patient, starting a 42-day countdown to declare the country virus-free, while DR Congo continues to surge with WHO warning transmission is accelerating and response is being outpaced. Public Accountability: Auditor General findings spotlight major mismanagement in KCCA’s Sh16Bn City-Wide Inclusive Sanitation programme, while a separate World Bank-funded DRDIP review under OPM flags unfinished works, idle medical equipment, questionable payments and money left in accounts. Transport & Land: The Sh93Bn Luwero–Kiwoko–Butalangu road nears completion but land compensation disputes are stalling sections, delaying final handover. Digital Trust & Trade: EAC pushes cross-border e-commerce reforms after a Geneva/Belgrade knowledge mission to close legal and regulatory gaps that affect online transactions and consumer confidence. Health Innovation: Uganda’s Dei BioPharma gets renewed government attention as officials assess progress toward local medicine production to cut import dependence. Local Tech & Business: Glovo appoints Kolawole Adeniyi as Uganda GM, signaling deeper investment in Uganda’s on-demand delivery market. Cyber & Governance: Uganda is also facing scrutiny and enforcement amid broader governance and digital safety concerns, as authorities move against wrongdoing.

Oil & Infrastructure: Uganda’s East African Crude Oil Pipeline is nearing completion, with about 80–84% progress by mid-2026, targeting July 2026 commissioning and first exports by October; the 1,443-km electrically heated line (about 50°C) is designed for up to 246,000 barrels per day, linking Albertine Graben fields to Tanzania’s Tanga port. Public Health & Ebola Response: The WHO says the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in DR Congo is outpacing response, with modelling suggesting true cases may be 2–4 times higher than detected; meanwhile, a WHO-led EBO-PEP trial is underway for the antiviral obeldesivir for high-risk contacts. Biotech & Regulation: ISAAA AfriCenter and partners have launched a “Biotech Africa Database” portal to centralise biotech and biosafety regulatory data, aiming to speed access to approval decisions and cross-border movement requirements. Cybersecurity Skills: Uganda’s UCC urged students to pursue cybersecurity careers and promoted the Cyber Stars Competition to tackle rising cyber threats. Agriculture & Climate Resilience: A FAO webinar highlighted how digital tools can strengthen seed systems, improving seed certification, traceability, and access to climate-resilient varieties. Space for Development: A feature on Africa’s space economy notes satellites are increasingly used for agriculture, climate resilience, disaster management, and connectivity.

Oil & Infrastructure: Uganda’s East African Crude Oil Pipeline is nearing completion, with about 80–84% progress by mid-2026, targeting commissioning in July and first exports by October; the 1,443-km electrically heated line (up to 246,000 bpd) will move crude from Lake Albert to Tanzania’s Tanga port, with TotalEnergies leading alongside UNOC, TPDC and CNOOC. Digital Skills & Cybersecurity: Uganda’s UCC urged students to pursue cybersecurity careers as digitization expands, highlighting rising threats like phishing and identity theft and promoting the Cyber Stars Competition. Biotech Regulation: ISAAA AfriCenter and partners launched a continental “Biotech Africa Database” to centralize biotech and biosafety regulatory data, easing access to approval decisions and cross-border movement requirements. Ebola Research & Response: WHO began a human trial (EBO-PEP) of Gilead’s oral obeldesivir for people exposed to Bundibugyo Ebola in DR Congo; meanwhile, WHO warned the outbreak is spreading faster than tracking, with many new cases coming from unknown transmission chains, and Uganda is among neighboring countries affected. Agriculture & Food Systems: FAO pushed digital solutions to strengthen seed systems, aiming to improve seed certification, traceability and quality assurance for more resilient farming. Health & Aquaculture: A tilapia health webinar recap emphasized biosecurity, breeding programs and disease surveillance for farmers. Science Communication: A Fulbright-supported TROY professor is documenting pre-colonial oral histories across Uganda, stressing ethical research permits and community trust. STEM in Society: A Kampala campaign launched “1 Million Pads for 1 Million Girls” to tackle period poverty and support girls’ school attendance and reproductive health.

Ebola Response in Focus: DR Congo’s Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak is accelerating fast, with deaths doubling in just over two weeks as confirmed cases pass 2,000; WHO says the real toll may be far higher because many new infections are outside contact lists. New Treatment Trial: WHO has started the EBO-PEP trial testing Gilead’s oral antiviral obeldesivir as post-exposure prophylaxis for people exposed to confirmed Bundibugyo cases in DRC and Uganda. Uganda Rail Safety Debate: Uganda Railways Corporation defended lack of automated barriers at level crossings, arguing reckless driving is the bigger cause, as Parliament orders an inquiry after a fatal Mukono bus–train crash. Oil & Infrastructure: Uganda’s East African Crude Oil Pipeline is nearing completion (about 80–84%), targeting commissioning in July 2026 and first exports by October—an engineering milestone for Uganda’s entry into global oil markets. Health & Tech in Uganda: UniHealth commissioned an Eye Care and Ophthalmology Department at UMC Victoria Hospital in Kampala, starting cataract surgeries to expand specialised care. Agriculture & Climate: Makerere-linked research highlights shea tree decline from charcoal cutting, while Uganda’s value-add agribusiness stories show how processing can reduce losses and diversify farmer income.

Ebola Research & Trials: WHO has launched the first trial of an antiviral to prevent the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in people exposed to confirmed cases in DR Congo, using oral obeldesivir under a post-exposure approach, as WHO warns the outbreak is still outpacing response with 80% of new cases coming from unknown transmission chains. Vaccine Pipeline: Oxford’s Oxford Vaccine Group has started a Phase 1 human trial of a Bundibugyo Ebola vaccine (ChAdOx1 BDBV), with Serum Institute of India supplying large stockpiles to speed future rollout if results are positive. Uganda Health Link: Uganda is also reporting confirmed Bundibugyo cases, while a separate Gilead obeldesivir post-exposure trial is enrolling about 1,000 high-risk contacts in the outbreak epicentre. Infrastructure Accountability: Uganda’s Ministry of Works has suspended engineers over allegations tied to the SHS1.7trn Busega–Mpigi Expressway, as Parliament also orders a probe into a fatal Mukono school bus–train crash. Energy & Industry: Uganda’s East African Crude Oil Pipeline is nearing completion (about 80–84%), targeting commissioning in July 2026 and first exports by October. Wildlife Monitoring: Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust reports early results from Uganda’s “Lost Chimps of Kyambura” monitoring, identifying 25 chimpanzees and building a science-based baseline for conservation.

Ebola Vaccine Push: Oxford University has started the first human trial of a Bundibugyo Ebola vaccine (ChAdOx1 BDBV), enrolling 50 volunteers in the UK to test safety and immune response as the DRC outbreak accelerates. Ebola in the Region: A U.S. humanitarian worker in DR Congo has tested positive for Ebola (Bundibugyo strain), with CDC working on isolation, contact tracing, and risk checks. Uganda Digital Regulation: Uganda’s UCC has begun enforcement against informal public Wi‑Fi hotspot operators without licences, sparking debate over whether fees and rules are pushing small entrepreneurs out. Agriculture Research-to-Farm: AGRA’s 20th anniversary in Kampala urged Uganda to close the research-to-farm gap through stronger extension, better markets, and more value addition. Public Finance Discipline: Ministry of Finance released 23.03 trillion shillings for Q1 obligations, warning accounting officers of “severe sanctions” under budget discipline. Energy Infrastructure: Uganda’s East African Crude Oil Pipeline is reported at about 80–84% completion, targeting commissioning in July 2026 and first exports by October. Cybersecurity Alert: Tata Group faces fallout after a major cyber breach, raising concerns for global tech supply chains that touch Uganda.

Ebola Vaccine Push: Oxford University has started the first human Phase I trial for a Bundibugyo Ebola vaccine (ChAdOx1 BDBV), recruiting 50 healthy adults (18–55) in the UK; about 620,000 doses were stockpiled by Serum Institute of India to speed future use, and researchers are preparing follow-on studies in Uganda. Outbreak Update: DR Congo’s Ebola situation report shows spread across more provinces and rising confirmed cases and deaths, while a U.S. humanitarian worker in Congo has tested positive, triggering contact tracing and risk checks. Uganda Health Systems: Uganda is also deploying medics to support the DRC response as the crisis deepens. Digital Economy Pressure: Uganda’s UCC is cracking down on public Wi‑Fi hotspot providers operating without licences, raising concerns that compliance costs could squeeze small local operators. STEM Education Funding: SESEMAT science and maths teacher support is facing a funding crisis as some schools overcharge parents and fail to remit programme money. Infrastructure Delivery: Uganda has signed the contract for the new Karuma Bridge, with construction set to begin in October 2026. Oil & Connectivity: The East African Crude Oil Pipeline is nearing completion (about 80–84%), targeting commissioning in July 2026 and first exports by October.

Ebola Vaccine Push: Oxford University has started the first human trial of a new Bundibugyo Ebola vaccine (ChAdOx1 BDBV/BD-Ebov) in 50 adults in the UK, with recruitment underway and plans for further studies in Uganda. Ebola Outbreak Escalation: The DRC outbreak continues to surge, including a newly reported Ebola-positive U.S. humanitarian worker case, as WHO and Africa CDC intensify coordination with partners in the region. Makerere Research Accountability: Uganda’s Makerere-led health research projects face Auditor General scrutiny, including cash-transfer studies and TB smartphone triage work (CAGE-TB), plus the H3Africa Uganda biorepository and the Makerere Lung Institute, with reported misstatements, unsupported spending, and procurement/control gaps. Local Health Tech: Uganda researchers report a low-cost catnip-based mosquito repellent that performs as well as DEET in trials, pointing to locally produced protection against mosquito-borne disease. Agritech Exports: Uganda begins exporting dried chili peppers to China after FAO-UN/China-Uganda cooperation boosted production in Kamuli. Engineering Talent Call: The Royal Academy of Engineering opens applications for the 2027 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, inviting Ugandan engineers and innovators. Digital Infrastructure: Raxio raises its funding pool to $380m and expands into Tanzania, adding to its carrier-neutral data centre footprint across Africa. Road Safety Tech & Policy: A new focus on Uganda’s road accident response and insurance gaps is renewing calls for stronger post-crash support systems.

EAC Energy Infrastructure: Uganda’s East African Crude Oil Pipeline is nearing completion at about 80–84%, with commissioning targeted for July 2026 and first exports by October—an electrically heated 1,443-km line designed to keep waxy crude flowing to Tanzania’s port. Public Health & Research: Uganda and DR Congo remain on high alert as the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak expands; Africa CDC and WHO chiefs plan a mission to Bunia to speed diagnosis, contact tracing, isolation and supplies, while Uganda’s Red Cross highlights community-led prevention using trusted local networks. Local Innovation for Health: Uganda researchers report catnip-based mosquito repellent can match DEET in field trials, offering a cheaper, locally made option for malaria prevention. STEM in Schools: Students at a Gayaza science exhibition showcased practical solutions, including a low-cost biogas model turning waste into cooking fuel and manure. Renewables Governance: Busitema University’s 4MW solar plant is feeding the grid, but an Auditor General report says the university has earned zero from electricity sales due to missing revenue-sharing and operating agreements. Agriculture & Resilience: Refugees in Kyaka II are using small home plots and climate-smart farming to replace reduced food and cash support.

Ebola Response Boost: Africa CDC and WHO chiefs will visit Bunia in eastern DRC on July 18–19 to strengthen coordination, speed containment, and expand testing, isolation, and supplies as the Bundibugyo outbreak intensifies. Malaria Care Gaps: In Kampala, health experts say a malaria surge among school-age teens is exposing weak early detection and school health protocols, with some cases progressing fast after “uncomplicated” infections. Uganda Solar Accountability: Busitema University’s 4MW solar plant feeds the grid, but an Auditor General report says the university earned zero from electricity sales due to missing revenue-sharing and operating agreements with the Ministry of Energy. Mosquito Control Innovation: A Uganda-U.K. study reports catnip lotion made from Ugandan-grown catnip can repel mosquitoes as well as DEET, offering a cheaper local option for evening protection. Education & Teachers: Private school owners in Greater Masaka warn Uganda’s new PAYE tax on secondary income is pushing away experienced teachers, especially science specialists. STEM in Schools: Stanbic’s National Schools Championship appraisal visits begin for regional finalists, assessing school innovations aligned to Uganda’s competence-based STEM curriculum.

Ebola Response in the Great Lakes: The U.S. CDC reports a U.S. citizen working for a humanitarian organization in Congo has tested positive for Ebola, as the outbreak—driven by the Bundibugyo strain—keeps expanding and cases have also been confirmed in Uganda; health teams are working to trace close contacts and prevent further spread. Uganda Energy Accountability: Busitema University’s 4MW solar plant is feeding the national grid, but an Auditor General report says the university earned zero from electricity sales due to missing revenue-sharing and operational arrangements with the Ministry of Energy. Local Health Innovation: Uganda researchers and partners report catnip oil lotion can repel mosquitoes as effectively as DEET, offering a potentially cheaper, locally made option for malaria protection. STEM Education Pipeline: Stanbic’s National Schools Championship appraisal visits begin for regional finalists, with projects assessed for STEM-led problem-solving impact ahead of the August grand finale. Oil Infrastructure Milestone: The East African Crude Oil Pipeline is nearing completion (about 80–84% by mid-2026), targeting commissioning in July 2026 and first exports by October.

EAC Investment Push: East Africa is being pitched as Africa’s growth engine as regional integration deepens, drawing long-term investors and new PPP ideas across the bloc. Oil & Engineering Milestone: Uganda’s East African Crude Oil Pipeline is nearing completion at about 80–84%, with electrical trace heating to keep crude flowing; officials target commissioning in July 2026 and first exports by October. Ebola Response Pressure: Great Lakes health leaders warn that delayed containment of the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in DRC and Uganda could cost billions, as Uganda and DRC cases and deaths rise and funding gaps threaten surge capacity. Digital Learning Access: Airtel Africa and UNICEF plan to connect 5,000 schools to free internet by 2027, building on earlier school connectivity gains to narrow Uganda’s rural education digital divide. STEM Youth Pipeline: Stanbic Schools Championship appraisal visits begin for regional finalists, assessing student innovations aligned to Uganda’s competence-based STEM curriculum. Malaria Protection Research: A Uganda study reports catnip oil lotion can repel mosquitoes as effectively as DEET, pointing to cheaper malaria-fighting options. Agribusiness Scaling: Pearl Bank and Ronalds in Africa trained over 30 agri-SMEs on technical support and funding pathways to expand production. Cybercrime Crackdown: Uganda detained over 1,000 foreigners in a major cybercrime operation, underscoring rising tech-enabled crime risks.

Oil & Infrastructure: Uganda’s East African Crude Oil Pipeline is nearing completion at about 80–84%, with electrical trace heating to keep waxy crude flowing; officials target commissioning in July 2026 and first exports by October, with TotalEnergies leading alongside UNOC, TPDC and CNOOC. Digital Education: Airtel Africa will connect 5,000 schools across 14 countries with free internet by 2027 via UNICEF, building on earlier school connectivity and zero-rated learning platforms. Public Health & Ebola Response: Chinese medical experts arrived in Kampala to support Uganda’s Ebola outbreak response, sharing guidance with WHO/ Africa CDC incident teams as the DRC outbreak keeps accelerating. Malaria Protection Research: A Uganda study reports 6% catnip oil lotion repels mosquitoes as effectively as DEET, pointing to cheaper malaria-fighting options. STEM in Schools: Science Lab in a Box™ launched a junior version for junior high schools in Africa, with installations in Uganda linked to improved STEM progression. Cybersecurity: Uganda detained 1,000+ foreign nationals in a major cybercrime crackdown targeting alleged online fraud and call-centre operations. Higher Education Reform: Uganda’s universities are preparing for Competence-Based Education and Training (CBET), with NCHE running workshops and curriculum reviews ahead of the July 2027 deadline.

Oil & Infrastructure: Uganda’s East African Crude Oil Pipeline is now about 80–84% complete, with commissioning targeted for July 2026 and first exports by October, moving 246,000 barrels per day of crude from Lake Albert to Tanzania’s Tanga port. Ebola Diagnostics & Trials: Aptamer Group has begun developing rapid diagnostic binders for the Bundibugyo Ebola strain, as WHO and partners intensify response efforts and clinical trials expand amid rising DRC deaths. Malaria Drug Resistance: New research maps artemisinin resistance across East Africa, warning that Uganda’s and Rwanda’s resistance is now firmly established and could erode current treatment effectiveness. STEM in Schools: Science Lab in a Box™ launches a junior version for junior high schools in Africa, with Uganda-linked installations credited for improved STEM outcomes. Higher Education Reform: Uganda universities are racing to adopt competence-based teaching and training under NCHE guidance, with a July 2027 deadline approaching. Agriculture & Skills: Uganda pushes compulsory agriculture education in secondary schools to build practical skills and innovation for the sector. Cybersecurity: Uganda detains 1,000+ foreign nationals in a major cybercrime crackdown targeting online fraud and illegal call-centres. Digital Livestock Tracking: Kenya rolls out electronic animal identification and traceability to strengthen disease surveillance and unlock export markets. AI for Humanitarian Aid: At the AI for Good summit, WFP highlights AI-enabled remote vehicles to reach people in dangerous terrain.

Ebola Response in Focus: WHO reports the DRC Ebola outbreak has hit 1,759 confirmed cases and 600 deaths, with Uganda also affected (20 confirmed, two deaths). Diagnostics & Treatments: York’s Aptamer Group says it has started developing a rapid diagnostic for the Bundibugyo strain, while South Africa’s Xylomed plans a clinical trial of an experimental Ebola therapeutic across DRC, Uganda and South Sudan. Regional Preparedness: The US is backing Kenya’s Ebola readiness with Sh1.9bn for labs, trained personnel, rapid response teams and faster testing in 22 high-risk counties. Agriculture Tech & Skills: FAO and partners expand a digital plant health programme to 38 countries, using geospatial tools and standardized reporting; Uganda’s Muyingo also pushes compulsory agriculture education to boost practical innovation. Energy & Infrastructure: Uganda’s East African Crude Oil Pipeline is nearing completion (about 80–84%), targeting commissioning in July 2026 and first exports in October. Digital Transformation: Noteya and Sakamoja sign to deliver AI-driven infrastructure modernization across East Africa, starting with Tanzania and Zanzibar.