Rome / Kampala, 18 June 2026 — Italy’s Ministry of Environment and Energy Security (MASE) and Uganda's Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) have formally launched the procurement process for the first project to be implemented under their bilateral cooperation agreement on sustainable development, signed in Dubai in December 2023. The Expression of Interest (EOI) for the technical design and environmental assessment of a waste management project in Masaka City opened on 8 June 2026 and represents a significant step in turning the two countries’ shared commitments on climate and development into concrete infrastructure on the ground. 

The project aims to design and implement an integrated municipal solid waste and healthcare waste management system in Masaka City Uganda, a rapidly growing secondary city with a population of approximately 250,000. Planned infrastructure includes a Material Recovery Facility with a sorting capacity of up to 50 tonnes per day, enclosed composting facilities to produce marketable compost from organic waste, a modern dual-chamber healthcare waste incinerator, and a complete fleet of waste collection vehicles and equipment. The project will also introduce GIS-based digital monitoring systems and support the integration of informal waste workers, including women and young people, into a formalised waste value chain. Masaka is expected to serve as a national demonstration model for Uganda, with a scale-up phase envisaged following the successful implementation of the pilot project. 

Uganda’s urban waste management challenge is both urgent and well documented. Open dumping remains the predominant method of waste disposal across many of the country’s secondary cities, contributing to methane emissions, water pollution, and recurring public health crises. The collapse of the Kiteezi dumpsite in Kampala in 2024, which killed more than 34 people following heavy rainfall, brought national attention to the dangers associated with inadequate waste management infrastructure. In the months that followed, Uganda’s Prime Minister visited Italy and identified waste management as a national priority requiring strengthened international cooperation and investment. The project now being launched in Masaka city, Uganda is a direct response to that call.

“With the launch of this procurement process, Italy is giving tangible effect to the commitments undertaken with Uganda within the bilateral cooperation framework on sustainable development. The Masaka project stands as concrete illustration of how international partnership can be translated into high-impact environmental, social and public health interventions, while at the same time strengthening local institutional capacities and promoting innovative circular economy solutions. In this regard, the initiative is fully aligned with the strategic vision promoted by the Italian Government under the Mattei Plan for Africa, which places particular emphasis on equitable partnership, the mobilisation of climate finance, and support for inclusive and sustainable development as central pillars of Italy’s engagement with African partners,” said Alessandro Guerri, Director General for European, International Affairs and Sustainable Finance at the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security. 

"What is happening in Masaka demonstrates that bilateral cooperation agreements can deliver tangible results when the right technical support is in place," said Agostino Inguscio, Coordinator of the UNDP Italy Office and UNDP Rome Centre. "PISTA was designed precisely to bridge that gap, helping governments move from a signed agreement to a funded, procurement-ready project. This is the first initiative under the Italy-Uganda cooperation framework, and we expect it to be a model for what follows." 

“This project marks an important step in translating international climate commitments into tangible actions in support of Uganda NDC implementation. Through the partnership of the Government of Uganda, the Government of Italy, and UNDP Rome Centre, we are advancing an integrated, inclusive and forward-looking waste management system that will improve public health, reduce environmental risks, and create green economic opportunities, particularly for women and youth involved in the informal waste sector. As UNDP Uganda, we are proud to support a model that not only strengthens local capacity and governance systems but also demonstrates how innovative partnerships can accelerate sustainable urban development and climate action across Uganda.” Said Mr. Ian King, UNDP Uganda Resident Representative. 

The project is being implemented by UNDP Uganda in close collaboration with MWE and Masaka City Council, with technical and coordination support from UNDP Rome Centre through the Platform for Investment Support and Technical Assistance (PISTA). The Masaka initiative reflects the core purpose of PISTA's Bilateral Cooperation Window, which was established to support the implementation of bilateral sustainable development partnerships. The programme assists the countries throughout the entire project cycle, from feasibility assessment and project design to procurement, implementation, and post-completion monitoring and evaluation. 

The current EOI invites engineering firms, environmental consultancies, and consortia to express interest in delivering a feasibility study, the detailed engineering design, an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment, and a Gender Equality and Social Inclusion assessment for the project. These preparatory studies are prerequisites for the subsequent procurement of construction works and equipment and will establish the technical and financial foundations of the intervention. The EOI is expected to remain open for approximately three weeks, with a formal Request for Proposals to follow in late June, and a contract award anticipated between July and August 2026. Interested firms can access the EOI documentation through the UNDP Uganda procurement portal. 

The Masaka project sits within Italy’s broader engagement on climate action and sustainable development in Africa. Uganda is among the partner countries with which MASE has established active bilateral cooperation frameworks, including MoU. The waste management sector represents a strategic area of collaboration where Italian enterprises are able to contribute recognised technical expertise in engineering, circular economy systems and environmental infrastructure. 

Contact Information: 

David Maina, Head of Communication, UNDP Uganda, Tel: +256741771265, Email:  david.micro@undp.org 

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