Diplomatic Missions in Disrepair: Urgent Need for Renovations or Reconstruction
Office buildings and ambassador’s residences in at least six of Uganda’s 31 diplomatic missions worldwide, are in poor condition, necessitating either demolition for new construction or significant renovations. The Auditor General’s report, covering the period ending June 2023 and recently presented to Parliament, reveals that the current state of these buildings does not reflect well on the country.
Some of the affected missions include the embassy in Washington DC, USA; the Uganda High Commission in Ottawa, Canada; the mission in Brussels, Belgium; Uganda’s mission at the United Nations in New York; and Uganda’s embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Washington, USA
The report highlights severe structural problems at the embassy in Washington DC, with cracks in walls, floor surges, and a collapsed back porch due to an unstable foundation. The ambassador has abandoned the official residence due to old, rusty, and leaky pipes.
Ottawa, Canada
The two-storeyed red brick building in Ottawa, Canada, turned into Uganda’s High Commission in 1985, is declared unsafe and in a “very sorry state” by the report. Efforts to demolish it for new construction face challenges due to objections from Ottawa’s Built Heritage Sub-committee.
Copenhagen, Denmark
The mission in Copenhagen is at risk of closure due to its dire need for renovation. The report notes that the current state of the building negatively reflects on the country, and the official residence of the ambassador remains unoccupied due to ongoing renovations.
Brussels, Belgium
The embassy in Belgium faces issues with window frames, carpets, the main entrance door, and gutters, resulting in escalated heating and cooling costs during winter and summer.
Addis, Ethiopia
The official residence of Uganda’s ambassador to Addis Ababa needs demolition and reconstruction, but delays in procuring a consultant and designs hinder progress.
UN mission
Uganda’s mission at the UN urgently requires funds for air conditioning installation, repairs, and refurbishment of the Embassy building.
Despite concerns raised in the report, Mr. Vincent Bagiire, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, insists that renovations have been carried out on the mission in New York.
In a related development, the Auditor General highlights delays in construction at consulates in Guangzhou, China, and Juba, South Sudan, along with the delayed acquisition of premises in Tokyo, Japan.
