Uganda Taps Korea's Digital Governance Expertise

Two senior Ugandan officials were among a select group of government executives from seven countries who participated in the high-level Capacity Building Programme on Digital Competency for Government Officials organised by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) in collaboration with the National Human Resources Development Institute (NHI Korea). Held over two weeks in Seoul and Sejong, the programme offered valuable exposure to Korea’s globally acclaimed digital governance models and public sector innovation systems. Uganda was represented by Ambrose Ruyooka, Assistant Commissioner, Research and Development from the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance and Frank Paul Wilson Tenywa Kasajja, Senior Information Technology Officer from Cabinet Secretariat in the Office of the President (Uganda). The training combined lectures, case studies, hands-on sessions, and field visits, focusing on digital leadership, inter-ministerial coordination, cloud-first strategies, data governance, and citizen-centred service delivery. It came at a pivotal time as Uganda implements its Digital Transformation Roadmap (2023–2027) and the 2024 Cabinet Directive tasking the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance to develop an AI governance framework. The insights gained will directly support Uganda’s wider public sector reform agenda and the government’s ambition to build a digitally enabled, citizen-centric state as envisioned under Vision 2040. The Ugandan delegation showcased the country’s achievements in digital skilling and local innovation hubs under the Digital Skilling Pillar of the Roadmap. At the closing ceremony, Ruyooka delivered the Vote of Thanks on behalf of all participants from the Dominican Republic, Fiji, Jordan, Kenya, Malawi, Uganda and Zambia. Field visits offered first-hand insights into Korea’s integrated digital systems, including the government office complex in Sejong City, which hosts over 15 ministries and agencies in a unified smart environment. Delegates also toured the Digital Government Exhibition Hall, the Seoul Transport Operation and Information Service (TOPIS), and the National Information Resources Service (NIRS). Cultural experiences such as the NANTA performance, a tour of Lotte World Tower, and a visit to the Museum of Contemporary Korean History deepened their understanding of Korea’s digital journey and heritage. Participants were especially inspired by sessions from NAVER Cloud on artificial intelligence in smart government and from the Science and Technology Policy Institute (STEPI) on evidence-based technology policy. These topics resonated with Uganda’s current work on AI regulation, digital public infrastructure, and local innovation under the National ICT Innovation Support Programme (NIISP). Kasajja Frank noted that the sessions on data governance and AI policy offered practical insights that will guide Uganda’s ongoing work on ethical AI regulation and inter-agency data integration. Delegates from Malawi, Kenya, and Fiji praised the programme’s practical relevance, particularly its approaches to building resilient digital infrastructure, strengthening citizen trust, and fostering cross-sector innovation. The Ministry of ICT and National Guidance plans to integrate lessons from Korea into upcoming capacity-building initiatives for senior public officers and the design of Uganda’s national AI governance framework, ensuring that these insights cascade into government-wide transformation efforts. The Government of Uganda extends its appreciation to KOICA, NHI Korea, and the Government of the Republic of Korea for supporting digital competency development among partner nations. Ruyooka reflected, “This programme has shown us how visionary leadership, strategic planning, and collaboration can transform public service delivery. We return home inspired to accelerate Uganda’s digital transformation and build systems that truly serve our citizens.”