WITH CORRUPTION THE ORDER OF THE DAY IN UGANDA, THE POLICE HAVE THE LEAST JOB SECURITY

It surprises how least responsible many Police personnel are wherever there is opportunity to earn a quick buck.. To many, the Police assume that it is their right to solicit money from any potential beneficiary of their services. This leads me to conclude that the Police personnel in Uganda have the least job security, as at any point, you can get them and have the job gone. William Kituuka Kiwanuka ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- UGANDA POLICE EMERGES AS MOST CORRUPT IN EAST AFRICA Posted on November 1, 2011 by Editorial Team

By Staff Writer East Africa's most bribery-prone police force, the Uganda Police on parade. The Uganda Police today stands accused of being the most corrupt police force in East Africa. According to the East African Bribery Index 2011, the Uganda Police lead the pack of the most bribery prone institutions in the region, followed by the Burundi Police, Customs/Revenue Authority – Burundi, Kenya Police and Uganda Revenue Authority in that order. For the second year running, the survey did not record enough bribery reports to formulate an index for Rwanda. The bribery reports recorded for most of the institutions were statistically insignificant to form a reliable basis for ranking. Burundi has retained the top position as the most bribery prone country in East Africa,. Burundi has a bribery prevalence level of 37.9% up from 36.7% in 2010, while Uganda and Tanzania have been ranked second and third at 33.9% and 31.6% respectively, both up from 33% and 28.6% in 2010. Kenya recorded a slight improvement at 28.8% down from 31.9% in 2010. Rwanda is once again ranked fifth with a bribery prevalence of 5.1% down from 6.6% last year. The East African Bribery Index is a governance tool developed to measure bribery levels in the private and public sectors in the region. The survey was conducted among 12,924 respondents selected through random household sampling across all the administrative regions in the five countries between February and May 2011. The respondents were asked to mention institutions where they were required to pay bribes or where bribes were expected as a condition to access services, and if the service sought was delivered upon payment or refusal to pay the bribe. The police, revenue authorities and the judiciary across the different countries were poorly rated in the regional aggregate index. All the police institutions in Uganda, Burundi, Kenya and Tanzania appeared in the list of the ten most bribery prone institutions in East Africa. The survey also sought to establish the sectors most affected by bribery. The law enforcement sector emerged the most bribery prone sector in Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi and Uganda. The health and education sectors were also ranked adversely in comparison to the other sectors. The survey also analysed bribery payments in the water, education and health sectors according to gender. In Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya, there were higher instances of women experiencing bribe demands or expectations in the health sector and similarly paying a bribe than the men. In the water and education sectors, more bribes were demanded from and paid by the men than women in the three countries. Male respondents were more likely to experience a bribery situation as well as pay a bribe in the different sectors in Burundi. Reporting of corruption cases was low in all the five countries. Burundi recorded the lowest number of people forwarding corruption complaints with only 3.2% reporting corruption incidents. Only 7.1 % of the respondents in Kenya reported incidents of corruption compared to 10.8% last year; 9.9% and 6.9% forwarded corruption complaints in Uganda and Tanzania respectively while 16% filed complaints in Rwanda.

PLEASE CONTRIBUTE LITERATURE TO THE PUBLICATION ON LATE DR. GEORGE MAYANJA

Who was Doctor Mayanja to you or What do you wish to be documented about him as we get to the Funeral Rites due on Saturday, 11th July 2012 at the Naguru residence. Kindly make submissions latest by Tuesday, 7th August. Photo images with descriptions are welcome. The final publication to be both in PDF format and on Blog by Friday, 10th August 2012. The publication to be called: "In the Shadow of Dr. George William Mayanja." Advice on the title is welcome. William Kituuka - Editor (wkituuka@gmail.com)

THANKS TO THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT FOR SHS 2BN FOR KASUBI TOMBS RECONSTRUCTION

The Mengo Administration has the challenge to come up with worthy work/value for money on the re-construction work of Kasubi tombs given the shs 4bn or so officially received for the work. Many thanks to the Central Government for honouring the shs 2bn pledge. It is however very important that Naggalabi is brought into the picture. the crumbs from the re-construction of Kasubi tombs can surely help in putting a face lift on Naggalabi infrastructures which are in a sorry state. William Kituuka Kiwanuka ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ MUSEVENI HONOURS THE SHS 2BN KASUBI TOMBS PLEDGE

President Yoweri Museveni hands over a cheque of shs 2 billion to the Katikiro of Buganda Eng. John Baptist Walusimbi (Jr) By Vision reporter President Yoweri Museveni on Wednesday made good on a government pledge of two billion shillings towards the reconstruction of the Kasubi Tombs culturally known as the Muzibu Azaala Mpanga. The tombs caught fire on March 16, 2010. Later government constituted a Cabinet Committee on Kasubi Tombs that had two Technical committees; The National Technical Committee to oversee the reconstruction of Kasubi Tombs, and a Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the fire that gutted the Tombs. The Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Kasubi fire, finalized the inquiry and submitted its report to the Minister of Gender, Labor and Social Development. Their findings are yet to be published. Museveni urged them to ensure that all cultural sites including Bigo Byamugenyi and Ntusi in Sembabule and Omuso in Mubende are well protected, fenced off and their literature well documented for posterity. He said he was willing to offer more support to ensure that the tombs are fully reconstructed and protected as some of the world heritage sites and also for boosting tourism. The Katikiro of Buganda Eng.J B Walusimbi, Katikiro said they had already raised 800 million shillings as Buganda Kingdom which they used to renovate the Wamala Tombs were King Suuna was buried. He said culturally, they could not start with Kasubi tombs for the son without renovating the Wamala tombs for the father. The Katikiro who was accompanied by the Deputy Katikiro Sekimpe M. Ssmambo, Eng. Moses Kagimu, Ssabalangira, Nalinya Gertrude Tebattagwabwe, custodian of Kasubi Tombs, Amb William Nagagga. Private Secretary Office of the Katikiro, Arch Jonathan Nsubuga the Project Manager and Eng. H. R. Kibuuka said the 1.5 billion shillings donated by UNESCO will go towards risk management including firefighting. “We want to thank you for this donation and for the support towards reconstructing the tombs. The structures will be made of steel while the roofing will be with grass. The challenge we have however is that grass is becoming very scarce,” he said. The Kingdom hailed Museveni for his support towards the recently concluded Buganda expo through the Presidential Initiative on Tourism and said Buganda is looking for 100 acres of land for starting a cultural village as part of boosting tourism in the country. He said they would mobilize their subjects to contribute towards the remaining cost of reconstruction. The total cost of reconstruction is estimated at 4.8 billion shillings, President Museveni pledged two billion shillings towards the reconstruction. Buganda Kingdom pledged half a billion shillings, UNESCO 1.2 billion shillings totaling to 3.7 billion leaving a deficit of 1.1 billion shillings. The two billion shillings has been transferred to Buganda Kingdom Bank Account electronically. The Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage Ephraim Kamuntu, That of state for Tourism Agnes Akiror, the Permanent secretary Amb Patrick Mugoya and Ms. Rose Mwanja, Commissioner Museums.

WHOEVER IS CORRUPT, STEALS TAX MONEY OR DONOR FUNDS IN UGANDA IS LIKE A CORPSE IN A SHINNY COFFIN THOUGH COVERING THE STENCH

Whoever is involved in corruption, stealing tax funds or donor funds in Uganda can be equated to a shinny coffin which actually covers the stench of a decomposed body. These people look good from the outer side, but are killing the economy and the tax payer. You see them drive good cars and build good houses but they have unfortunately ruined the economy. It may be beyond repair! William Kituuka Kiwanuka

DIPLOMATS FIND IT EASY TO TALK THEIR MINDS AT THE END OF THEIR TERM IN UGANDA

Shearman stressing a point during the interview recently. He has been in Uganda for the last four years newvision Martin Shearman is the out-going British High Commissioner to Uganda. He shared his feelings about Uganda’s politics and economy. He also told Henry Mukasa his best and worst time in Uganda How has been your tour of duty? I have been here for four years, so it’s been a busy period. For example, we had elections in 2011, Kampala bombs in 2010 and the Buganda riots in 2009. We have British citizens doing business here and involved in the oil industry. Bilaterally there’s been a lot of co-operation on regional security notably Somalia, where there has been a huge development programme. I like Uganda a lot. I enjoyed travelling in the country and meeting people of various backgrounds. I am also pleased that during my stay here, the bilateral relations have been strong. There has also been a lot of discussion and dialogue. I look back with some sadness to leave because it was a fascinating place to be in. You mention the September 2009 riots and the 2010 Kampala bombing as some of the great events. How did they change your perception of Uganda or the region? I think the riots were a shock but they illustrated that there are difficult issues about how different parts of the country stick together. They also illustrated the challenges the Police face in trying to do a good job for stability. It was clear that in September 2009 things got out of hand. But they also show the importance of having healthy and good politics where you talk about these issues. That is important for the country and the whole continent. The Kampala bombings were a huge shock. I felt sympathetic for the people who suffered. Even London suffered bombs in 2005 and I know what impact it can have on people and the city. I was impressed by the way people returned to normal life. Those attacks appeared to be linked to the role Uganda is playing in Somalia. And I can say we admire the huge contribution Uganda has made in providing forces to try to bring stability to Somalia. It is one issues where Uganda has shown leadership. Do you think the passing of the proposed Public Order Management Bill will fix the challenges the Police faces in ensuring public order? It is right to have legislation in that area. In the UK, we have legislation on management of public order. It is important to codify the duties of the Police and the responsibilities of the organisers of demonstrations in law. That means everyone knows what framework it is. Sometime back, we (the UK) did some work with the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) and the Police which resulted into some guidelines on how demonstrations should be conducted and I think they were good and widely accepted. The Police have a duty to ensure public order but they also have a responsibility to protect those freedoms in the Constitution. It is challenging to get the right balance. What then is your comment on the interactions or should I say confrontations that the Police has had with the opposition? It has not been very good, has it? It is unfortunate for Uganda that many of the images portrayed internationally were about the confrontation on the streets between the Police and demonstrators. I think Uganda needs to get itself out of that cycle. It is encouraging that in terms of expressing different views in Parliament, it has not been selective. It is important for the politicians to use that to the full. It is also important that there is willingness and space to tolerate demonstrations on issues in public. In the UK we have all kinds of demonstrations on all kinds of issues, some too critical of the Government, but we believe it’s important to uphold freedom of expression and assembly. Are you satisfied with the way money given by the UK Government has been utilised? Not all the money goes to the Government. It gets used in different ways and it has achieved tremendous results. The money has helped improve vaccination cover and the economy of northern Uganda to grow again. It has also boosted food security in Karamoja and helped them get away from relief food. Development assistance is something we are committed to and the money we are putting in Uganda is actually increasing. The money that goes directly to the Government has helped government ensure macro-economic stability. But undoubtedly it is challenging. Everybody from the President to the person down says there is a problem of corruption here. One of the things that is of concern to us is that the money we give to the Government as part of development assistance is well used and not subject to leakage. Everyone has heard the President acknowledge there is corruption. But reading from the cases that have been prosecuted, do you see an attempt to serve justice or recover the money? In cases of CHOGM, some of the money has been recovered but probably not as much as it should be. There were some (court) proceedings. My honest verdict, reinforced by many Ugandans from all sorts of background, would be that there isn’t yet in Uganda effective systems or systems that work well to tackle corruption. There seems to be a legal framework but there seems to be a problem. The common view is that there is corruption which is not being tackled effectively. One of the other things is of course when you talk to people here, corruption seems to be a problem of someone else. If Ugandans want to tackle the problem there should be a feeling from everyone that it is their responsibility to tackle it. Political will? The Government of course talks very strongly about tackling corruption, having zero tolerance to corruption policy, yet at the same time the President talks about having serious problems with corruption. He identifies civil servants sometimes or sub-county chiefs. So the fact that corruption is still there suggests that the political will hasn’t yet been sufficient to tackle corruption. The media in the UK has recently criticised your government for giving money to a president they say is undemocratic? There was one story in the UK media, The Daily Telegraph, which took that line. We are not giving the President lots of money. We are running development programmes, the aim of which is to help Uganda make political, economic and social progress and try to lift people out of poverty. It is something we are very proud of. We are increasing the money we are spending on development assistance here and we are convinced it will make a difference in the lives of the ordinary people. It is domestically politically challenging because in the UK we are decreasing the money the Government is spending to have the budget balance yet we are increasing the money we are spending on development assistance. I hope we reach that stage when Uganda no longer needs assistance. Ugandans have saluted the Ninth Parliament as a redeemer of the image of Parliament. Is that something agreeable to you? Well, undoubtedly any observer would say it has been very active because there has been much debate within Parliament. As an outsider, it appears to me that this Parliament is being more assertive in holding government to account and that is its job. So that is welcome. But it is important that MPs think about what they say. What’s your assessment of the evolution of multiparty politics in the country? It is developing. It still needs to develop further. The Movement also has some history but when you move around the country, the institutions of the state are still inter-mingled with it. So the Movement needs to learn to be a free-standing political party. The opposition parties have more to do to strengthen their structures in the country and also strengthen their policy platforms. Seven years of multi-party, that’s what you should expect, work in progress. Comment on the state of the media in execution of its work as one of the tenets of a democratic society? Standing in Kampala, you cannot help but be impressed by the liveliness of the media, the print media, the radio and TV stations, lively debate and discussion. Maybe life is more difficult in rural areas. The scope of investigative journalism needs to widen so that when there is a big story or issue, a paper like New Vision takes it over. Uganda has done well to protect the freedoms of the media. Occasionally I hear politicians saying rude things about the media. The most important protector of pluralistic politics is a free media. I think that’s part of having an open society, the media will not always say what you want. Worst moment while in Uganda? The Kampala riots and the Kampala bombings. The Kampala bombing was a dreadful thing to happen to those who suffered and lost their dear ones. The Kampala riots were also a worrying thing. Best moments? When I first came here in 2008, many people in northern Uganda were in IDP camps and I travelled to the north a lot. One of the positive things is the way normal life has returned to the north. The people there are now doing business. Do you think the talk for the restoration of term limits in the Constitution is justified because in defence, the Government says there are no term limits in Britain? It is unusual in Britain for prime ministers to make more than three terms. The British system tends to be self-limiting. Different things work in different systems in different countries. It is nice Ugandans are discussing this. People who in 1995 put term limits in the Constitution had reasons to do so. I assume when they were lifted in 2005 there were reasons to do so. It’s right that if Ugandans think there is an issue there must be an open discussion about it. Do you think Uganda needs any electoral reforms? The EC observer missions were here for the 2011 elections. They made a series of recommendations for reforms that would help improve the electoral process in Uganda. I fully support them.

PRESIDENT MUSEVENI HAS NO EXCUSES FOR NOT GRANTING BUGANDA WISHES

BUGANDA READY FOR TALKS

Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi and Katikiro of Buganda JB Walusimbi (L). PHOTO/Wilfred Sanya newvision By Moses Mulondo The Kabaka of Buganda, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi, has said the kingdom is ready for dialogue with the Central Government in its quest for federalism and the return of all its properties. Addressing hundreds of his subjects who weathered a downpour yesterday during the 19th coronation anniversary at Sentema in Wakiso district yesterday, the Kabaka discouraged the forceful demand for the kingdom properties, saying a peaceful approach is the best. “There is no country you can fool all the time. A time comes when people’s eyes are opened. We shall continue to pursue dialogue based on truth and justice,” the Kabaka said to a thunderous applause from his excited subjects. He raised concern that whereas the Central Government returned the property of other dispossessed owners like Asians, it has taken long to give the Buganda kingdom all its property. The Asians were chased out of Uganda by then President Idi Amin on August 4, 1972 and their properties were handed out to Ugandans. “How come others were given their property and for us it is not happening. It must be known that we shall never stop to demand for what belongs to us and we shall do so choosing to take the path of negotiations,” he vowed. The Kabaka, who was in a jovial mood and at times breaking into gentle laughter, commended those who participated in the agitation for the restoration of the Buganda Kingdom. “Some of the participants in that struggle even died. Their major benefit for the struggle is embedded in safeguarding the three major pillars of our kingdom: the people, land, and culture,” he explained. Speaker after speaker, including the messages in the songs of school choirs were all blowing the trumpet of federalism, the return of the remaining kingdom property and payment of rent arrears the Central Government owes the Buganda kingdom. The Katikkiro, Engineer John Baptist Walusimbi, said he hopes the Government will by next year have returned all the kingdom’s property and granted it federal status. “There are so many things we have done, but there are also many we have not done because we don’t have the necessary autonomy. We want the federal system so that we can undertake our own development ventures. “For the last 19 years we have been advocating for federalism. We want this to be the last year for demanding for federalism and the return of our property,” Walusimbi said. The theme of the anniversary was strengthening the kingdom in educating its children. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BUKENYA DEMANDS ASSETS AS KABAKA CELEBRATES Wednesday, 01 August 2012 00:32 Written by Shifa Mwesigye

The Kabaka waves at subjects upon arrival at the celebration grounds In one of the boldest statements since being dropped from government, former Vice President Gilbert Bukenya has asked the central government to give Buganda her assets, which the kingdom has been demanding for decades. Speaking during celebrations to mark the 19th anniversary of the coronation of Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II at Ssentema in Wakiso district, Bukenya also demanded more respect for his cultural ruler. “We should not disgrace our Kabaka like some leaders have been doing,” Bukenya said amidst ululation. “Our Kabaka should be respected. Buganda properties should be returned to Buganda.” Many assets of the kingdom were seized by the central government when kingdoms were abolished by Dr Milton Obote in 1967. After the restoration of kingdoms by President Yoweri Museveni, some of these assets were returned. The Mengo government is still negotiating for the return of its land occupied by many of the county and sub-county headquarters in central Uganda. Bukenya, who at some point appeared hesitant to complete his speech, was cheered on by fellow MPs Muhammad Nsereko (Kampala Central), Betty Nambooze (Mukono Municipality) and Medard Sseggona (Busiro East) who pointed at his speech and encouraged him to read the salient sections. “They keep telling us to negotiate with government but we already negotiated,” Bukenya said. “Give us our money that accumulated to billions to develop Buganda. Our land should also be returned, our county headquarters should be returned to us.”

Busiiro North MP gilbert Bukenya greets the Kabaka The government owes Mengo about Shs 20 billion in rental arrears. Bukenya, however, was not as vocal on these arrears when he was part of President Museveni’s government. He was dropped in May last year. He was then prosecuted and remanded to Luzira prison, over mismanagement of money meant for hosting the 2007 Commonwealth summit. In June, Bukenya threw the NRM party in panic when he hosted a Buganda meeting at his Entebbe resort, Katomi Kingdom Hotel. Some political watchers have reasoned that now that Bukenya is out of government, he is riding on Buganda nationalism to reposition himself politically as a strong Buganda ally. Besides hosting the celebrations in his constituency, Bukenya printed a banner bearing a portrait of the Kabaka sandwiched between two portraits of his own. He funded and oversaw the erection of the welcoming gate that ushered in Buganda supporters into the grounds. “Even if they continue to tarnish my name and image in the media, I am very strong and everything will come to pass because everything has a beginning and ending,” Bukenya said, a barb apparently aimed at his political rivals. The event was attended by many MPs from Buganda, and dignitaries like Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, Makerere University Acting Vice Chancellor Venansius Baryamureeba, former Katikkiros Dan Muliika and Joseph Ssemwogerere, Emmanuel Cardinal Wamala and Supreme Mufti Zubair Kayongo, among others. When he finally spoke, the Kabaka sent his subjects and their guests wild with ululation and adulation, all of which he took in with regal calm. He said that as the kingdom continued to unite, Buganda should give attention to educating her children so they can compete in the global market. Mutebi said it is time for youth to be groomed into job creators and not job seekers.

Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II cuts cake during the coronation ceremony. “Buganda is built on the foundation of youth but they must be educated because the world is changing. We will not compete if our children are not educated and moving with the pace,” Mutebi said. He said that Buganda would continue to peacefully demand for its assets through negotiations. People braved the heavy downpour that descended on the celebration grounds to witness the ceremony. Members of Parliament and several VIPs – including Baryamureeba – also threw themselves on the muddy ground and prostrated before the Kabaka, in a show of love and respect for the Kabaka. smwesigye@observer.ug ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ BAGANDA NOT TRIBALISTS, SAYS KABAKA MUTEBI Date: Jul 29, 2012

Kabaka Mutebi looks at a patient at Entebbe Hospital during his tour of town on Friday.Photo: Eddie Ssejjoba By Eddie Ssejjoba The Kabaka Ronald Mutebi II has said that Buganda’s historical relationship with tribes outside the kingdom proves that the monarch has never been discriminative as some critics claim. He explained that since time immemorial, the monarch has had friendly relationships with people from different parts of the country. He cited the example of his forefathers’ links with the people of Karamoja and Lango in Northern Uganda. The King was speaking at Aero Beach after his tour of Entebbe Municipality ahead of his 19th Coronation Anniversary in Busiro County on July 31. Large crowds welcomed the Kabaka including a group of Karamojong Cultural Performers. The proprietor of Aero Beach, Cornelius Lorika Kodet, a Karamojong contributed 10 cows for the Kabaka’s guests, erected a monument of the Kabaka, Nabagereka and Princess Ssangalyambogo. He highlighted the good relationship between Karamoja and the Buganda Monarch and introduced his elder brother, Edward Asiru who worked closely with the Kabaka’s late father, Sir Edward Mutesa II to discuss Uganda’s Independence in the Lancaster Conference in 1961. Asiru said Mutesa II also donated his one-year full salary to Karamoja after he found the area to be so backward and undeveloped and ever since that time, the people of Karamoja have been in love with the Buganda monarch. Engineer Michael Odongo from the Lango Cultural leadership also made revelations of their historical linkage with Buganda and pledged that the people of Lango were willing to help the kingdom build a monument for the late Kabaka, Daniel Mwanga where he was captured by the British colonialists after putting up some resistance. The Kabaka visited Entebbe Hospital where he donated a solar system and walked to a playground where he attended prayers. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Private sector helps to fill UN funding gaps, needs

Ikea and UNHCR's knowledge-sharing collaboration shows how global companies can provide solutions that really work Tim Smedley guardian.co.uk, Monday 30 July 2012 15.34 BST

refugee camp in Peshawar Pakistani children walk along a path in a refugee camp in Peshawar, Pakistan. Photograph: Greg Baker/AP How Ikea's partnership with the UN is helping child refugees It started with a tent. In 2009 the IKEA Foundation – the philanthropic arm of Ikea – partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) with the idea of designing a new tent for emergency refugee accommodation. Given the foundation's core aim to improve opportunities for children in developing countries, and that half of all refugees are children, it seemed a good fit. Not just that, but designing flat-packed home and furniture solutions was something that Ikea knew it could do well. At any given time, UNHCR has the capacity to respond to an emergency involving up to 600,000 people, within 72 hours. Currently, the tents it provides are only suitable for six months. In reality, many refugee camps remain for several years. Children literally grow up in them. As such, routinely replacing tents comes at a big cost. "Because Ikea's core competence is about improving homes we thought it would be a very interesting way to co-operate," says Olivier Delarue, the UNHCR's senior advisor on private sector partnerships. "Flat-packing ... is so critical for UNHCR in terms of reduction of cost and efficiency for loading aircraft or trucks." Per Heggenes, CEO of the IKEA Foundation explains: "We are looking to develop a solution that fits the same requirements in terms of cost and weight, size and packaging, because they need to be airlifted out to people at very short notice. So we are trying a more lasting solution, a shelter that would last for many years ... which would ultimately solve a big financial problem." A knowledge partnership However, collaborating over tents soon led to a much broader remit. "We realised that we could do so much more together than just a shelter," says Delarue. "We could work together as partners in a more holistic way." This became an innovative "knowledge partnership", whereby Ikea could share with UNHCR its entire supply chain and logistics expertise. "What we normally do as a foundation is provide monetary donations", explains Heggenes. "In this case we said we wanted to take it one step further and see if we could find a way of helping UNHCR to be more efficient in what they do in the supply chain. "The reason being that Ikea is a large international company dependent on having a very efficient supply chain and might have some tricks up their sleeve." "Refugees are probably one of the most marginalised groups in the world, they don't attract a lot of interest from the private sector. We looked at the situation and felt we could get involved and help children that are growing up in very difficult circumstances." Aligning objectives In June 2012, the IKEA Foundation brought together logistics experts from IKEA and UNHCR for 11 workshops across seven specialist areas: quality, product design, packaging, warehouse network design, procurement, transportation and IT. The similarities of size and scale between Ikea's and the UNHCR's logistics offered what Delarue calls a "values fit". For such a partnership to work, he says, "It has to fit the strategic objective of the company and respond to the needs of an organisation like UNHCR. If there's a miss-match then the partnership will not go very far ... the deeper the roots of a partnership, the longer and more fruitful the partnership will be." Indeed, Delarue argues that the partnership has not only been of benefit to the UNHRC logistics team. "Ikea has learnt from UNHCR as well because we operate in a very unusual and difficult places ... so the logistics guys from Ikea were also exposed to different realities." The teams were, he says, excitedly comparing photographs. Giving expertise, not just money Delarue believes this form of knowledge-sharing works best with large companies who truly understand the global complexities that humanitarian organisations face. "The core competencies and the transfer of knowledge is a difficult undertaking to make it successful, therefore it is [currently] reserved to only a few companies where the value fit is strong enough", he says. The select few for UNHCR currently includes partnerships with Microsoft and PwC on ICT projects for refugees in very remote areas; ManPower for training and skills assessments; HP for learning and development technology; Facebook, Yahoo and Google to maximise digital presence during emergencies. Even Lego is providing educational toys for refugee children. While UNHCR partners with smaller companies too, the current focus is on fundraising. However, Heggenes believes that the potential for knowledge partnerships need not be the sole reserve of blue chip companies. "I think companies of any size can do this," he says. "It's about sharing knowledge. If it fits the needs of a humanitarian organisation, then any company can do that ... we're not only giving [UNHCR] money but also giving them expertise, and I think that is just as valuable – maybe even more valuable." The government can not do this alone As austerity measures increasingly infect the global economy, relying on the world's governments is no longer an option for UNHCR. "We have a $3.7bn budget that is voluntarily funded, and we currently have around $1.2bn of unfunded activity – activity on the ground that we cannot do because we don't have the funding for it", informs Delarue. "The secretary general Ban Ki-moon has said we will not be able to solve the problems of the world without the private sector, that it is a critical part of the solution." Heggenes draws a similar conclusion. "As some governments are experiencing financial difficulties, [humanitarian organisations] see a reduction in funding on the one hand and an increase in need on the other. So there is a gap, and I think ... the private sector can fill that gap. "I think the business world has also come to recognise that it has to play a bigger role ... and with more involvement from the private sector on the funding side you also see an increased engagement on knowledge-sharing. As we go forward I think knowledge-sharing could be just as important as donating money." As for its own partnership with UNHCR, Heggenes says it too early to assess what it has achieved. His gut feeling is that Ikea will do more of this in future. It is Delarue's gut feeling for the UN too. "The private sector partnership is a new world for the UN", he says. "Not many organisations are able to harness the power of the private sector in a way that is truly beneficial for all parties involved. "This is something that I have been driving forward – to maximise our relationship with the private sector in a way that is a win-win-win: a win for the refugees, a win for the company, and a win for the humanitarian organisation as well."