Kampala Becomes Regional Hub for WFP Emergency Operations in Africa.

Updated by Erick Kikomeko at 1418 EAT on Monday 8 December 2025

Uganda and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) have signed a landmark agreement to establish a Global Fleet Emergency Hub in Kampala, a move aimed at boosting humanitarian response capabilities across Africa.

The hub will enable the world’s largest humanitarian organisation to rapidly deploy emergency assistance throughout the continent, supporting communities affected by conflict, natural disasters, and the escalating impacts of climate change.

In 2024 alone, WFP Uganda delivered 173,745 metric tons of food assistance to 545 locations nationwide, reaching more than two million people. The agency also transported 10,000 metric tons of relief supplies for partner organisations and moved an additional 33,000 metric tons to neighbouring countries, including Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, South Sudan, and Ethiopia.

With the establishment of the new Global Fleet Hub, WFP expects its regional response capacity to increase significantly. WFP Uganda country director Marcus Prior said the Kampala hub will serve as a rapid deployment centre for humanitarian emergencies across Africa.

“When conflicts displace populations in the Great Lakes region, Kampala will be the launch point for a coordinated response,” Prior said.

He added that, in partnership with other organisations, WFP will ensure that when crises strike across the continent, “help will arrive faster, reach further, and save more lives.”

Uganda’s Works and Transport Minister, Gen Edward Katumba Wamala, highlighted the country’s strategic logistical advantage in hosting the hub.

“Uganda’s central location in East Africa, combined with our strong transport infrastructure and progressive trade facilitation policies, makes Kampala the natural choice for this continental logistics hub,” said Works and Transport Minister Gen Edward Katumba Wamala.

Under the agreement, UN/WFP fleet vehicles will be fitted with specially designed number plates produced in Uganda through the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System (ITMS) programme.

The plates incorporate advanced hardware, software, and security features to facilitate and streamline the movement of humanitarian fleets across the region.

The new number plates eliminate lengthy deregistration and re-registration procedures at border points, enabling seamless cross-border movement for humanitarian vehicles.

By reducing bureaucratic delays and aligning with regional transport frameworks, Uganda and WFP aim to cut costs, accelerate delivery times, and strengthen the wider regional logistics network.

Damir Makhmutov, ITMS project manager and supplier of the special plates, praised Uganda’s leadership. He said it is encouraging to see the country emerge as a key player in international programmes across Africa, adding that they are “very proud of the government’s strategy and determination in developing the transport sector,” which he believes will drive both national and regional development.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeje Odongo said Uganda has long been at the forefront of humanitarian efforts, hosting Africa’s largest refugee population while maintaining its commitment to regional solidarity.

“By hosting the WFP Global Fleet Hub, we are extending our humanitarian leadership beyond our borders. This agreement demonstrates that when we invest in logistics infrastructure and remove bureaucratic barriers, we save lives not just in Uganda, but across the entire continent,” Odongo said, according to The Observer.

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