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The US government has strengthened Uganda’s peacekeeping and humanitarian efforts by donating a state-of-the-art auditorium valued at $3.7 million (approximately 13.2 billion Ugandan shillings). This new facility enhances the country’s military training and education infrastructure.

Situated at the International Peace Support Operations Training Centre (IPSOTC), the auditorium can accommodate over 1,500 trainees and is equipped with advanced audiovisual and IT technology.

The facility was officially opened by UPDF Lieutenant General Sam Bakasumba as a symbol of the long-standing partnership between Uganda and the United States to tackle regional security challenges. Since 2007, the US and UPDF have collaborated closely on peacekeeping initiatives.

In a statement on July 2, 2025, the US Mission in Uganda emphasized that this support underlines America’s commitment to building regional peacekeeping capacity and promoting stability that benefits Uganda, the US, and the broader global community.

Besides the auditorium, the facility includes extra storage, office spaces, and conference rooms designed to support workshops, meetings, and large UPDF events—critical resources for Uganda’s swift response to peacekeeping and humanitarian missions.

This auditorium is part of a larger US effort to boost peacekeeping capabilities in Uganda and across Africa. It follows the recent handovers of two major facilities: a UN Level 2 mobile hospital valued at 19.7 billion shillings ($5.5 million) in October 2024, and a vehicle maintenance facility worth 5.3 billion shillings ($1.5 million) in December 2024.

The vehicle maintenance facility, handed over last December, enhances the Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability Centre (URDC) with maintenance bays, a fueling station, inspection pits, administrative offices, and security features—improving UPDF’s logistical capacity during regional emergencies.

The Level 2 Mobile Hospital, delivered in October 2024, is designed for rapid deployment to provide essential medical care during peacekeeping and emergency operations while also supporting the health needs of Ugandan citizens.

These contributions are part of two key US defence cooperation programs: the African Peacekeeping Rapid Response Partnership (APRRP) and the Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI). Through these initiatives, the US has greatly improved the ability of African nations, including Uganda, to respond to crises via peacekeeping missions under the UN and regional bodies.

Currently, nearly two-thirds of US security cooperation funding in Uganda goes toward health programs benefiting Ugandan citizens directly. The remainder supports human rights, legal training, humanitarian aid, and peacekeeping efforts.