Uganda’s National Planning Authority (NPA) has partnered with the Uganda Chapter of the International Association of Strategy Professionals (IASP) to co-host the IASP 2026 Africa Regional Conference, in a move aimed at strengthening strategic planning, execution and development management across the continent.
The Partnership Charter was signed at the NPA headquarters in Kampala by Dr. Joseph Muvawala, Executive Director of the National Planning Authority, and Mr. Innocent Agaba, President of the IASP Uganda Chapter.
Dr. Joseph Muvawala and Mr. Innocent Agaba during the signing of the NPA-IASP Partnership Charter.
The agreement will see Uganda host a continental gathering in October 2026 that is expected to bring together strategy professionals, policymakers, development partners, academics and private sector leaders to discuss approaches for improving economic transformation and institutional performance.
The partnership reflects a growing recognition that Africa’s development challenges require more than ambitious plans. They require stronger systems for implementation, monitoring and strategic decision-making.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Dr. Muvawala said the conference will focus on advancing strategies that support accelerated economic growth while ensuring that the benefits of development reach all sections of society.
“This conference should emphasise accelerated growth that will eventually lead to inclusive growth across all spheres of the economy. We need deliberate, well-sequenced strategies that guarantee the benefits of economic progress reach every segment of society.”
Dr. Joseph Muvawala, Executive Director, National Planning Authority
He noted that effective development depends not only on creating policies but also on ensuring that strategies are properly designed, sequenced and implemented to achieve their intended outcomes.
The partnership comes at a time when governments and organisations across Africa are increasingly focusing on improving execution capacity, recognising that the gap between policy formulation and implementation remains one of the continent’s biggest development challenges.
Through the IASP 2026 Africa Regional Conference, Uganda hopes to create a platform where public institutions, businesses and development actors can exchange ideas on strategic management, evidence-based planning and innovative approaches to economic growth.
For the NPA, the partnership reinforces its role as a central institution responsible for guiding Uganda’s long-term development agenda, including the implementation of national frameworks such as Vision 2040 and successive National Development Plans.
IASP Uganda President Innocent Agaba said the partnership presents an opportunity to position Uganda as a continental centre for strategy professionals while strengthening strategic management practices in both the public and private sectors.
“This is a timely opportunity to position Uganda as a base for strategy professionals across the continent and to strengthen the practice of strategic management in both the public and private sectors.”
Innocent Agaba, President, IASP Uganda Chapter
The conference is expected to explore critical areas including economic resilience, evidence-based policymaking, institutional governance, public-private collaboration and human capital development.
As economies face growing uncertainty from global market shifts, technological disruption and changing workforce demands, organisers believe stronger strategic thinking will be essential for governments and businesses seeking sustainable growth.
The partnership also provides Uganda with an opportunity to enhance its profile as a destination for continental knowledge exchange and professional forums, adding to its growing role in hosting regional conversations on governance, business and development.
However, the impact of the initiative will ultimately depend on whether discussions and recommendations from the conference translate into practical improvements in how institutions design and implement strategies.
By bringing together strategy practitioners and decision-makers from across Africa, the NPA and IASP aim to move strategic planning beyond documents and into measurable action.
The October 2026 conference will therefore serve not only as a platform for dialogue but also as a test of how effectively professional strategy practices can contribute to Africa’s development ambitions.
