Uganda

Compliance/Financial Considerations

If you intend to do any of the following in Uganda, please contact Risk Services at risk@berkeley.edu or 642-5141:

  • Hire a local to work for you as an employee
  • Purchase or lease office or research space
  • Purchase or lease an automobile
  • Establish a long-term (over 90 days) or ongoing project
  • Conduct a clinical trial

U.S. GOVERNMENT COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS

Foreign activities may trigger many U.S. laws, including:

  • Import Controls
  • Export Controls
  • Tax Reporting
  • Foreign Bank Account Reporting
  • Country Embargoes and Targeted Sanctions
  • Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
  • Anti-Boycott Laws

Import Controls. UC employees must adhere to U.S. import requirements, and may need to enlist the services of a customs broker, especially for shipments arriving by sea and subject to the Importer Security Filing 71730, also known as ISF 10+2.

Export Controls. Export controls may apply to advanced software and technology, research data, and other sensitive assets. UC’s Export Compliance FAQ contains useful information and can be found here.  Go here for the University of California plan for compliance with federal export controls. If you plan on taking or sending potentially export-controlled materials to Uganda, consult the campus Research Administration Compliance Office at 642-0120.

Tax Reporting. The University and its employees may be taxed in foreign countries. The United States does not have a tax treaty with Uganda. For more information about double taxation issues, contact the Controller’s Office at:

Foreign Bank Account Reporting. The U.S. Treasury Department requires U.S. citizens with a financial interest in or signatory authority over a financial account in a foreign country, where accounts exceed $10,000 at any point during a calendar year, to report such accounts on a Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FinCen Report 114). Those needing to complete the form should contact the Controller’s Office at cashiers@berkeley.edu or 643-9803 for assistance. An IRS 1040 Schedule B form (Part III–Foreign Accounts and Trusts) must be filed by the signatory for any foreign bank account, regardless of the account balance.

Country Embargoes and Targeted Sanctions. In general, collaborations between University personnel and scholars at foreign institutions or organizations do not require export licenses unless they involve export-controlled or -restricted research or involve scholars in sanctioned countries. Before engaging in an international collaboration, the University needs to determine whether export licenses are required and to verify that the foreign collaborator is not blocked or sanctioned. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is responsible for enforcing all U.S. embargoes and sanctions. Depending on each country’s embargo or sanction program, activities may be prohibited without specific authorization or license. UC’s International Collaborations webpage contains additional information on this topic.   

The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) is intended to stop bribery. It prohibits offering to pay, paying, promising to pay, or authorizing the payment of money or anything of value to a foreign official. The term “foreign official” generally includes any employee or contractor of a foreign government, and may include individuals employed by foreign universities. It is also unlawful to make a payment to a third party knowing that all or part of the payment will go to a foreign official. For more information, review the federal government’s Resource Guide to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. If you need further clarification, contact the UC Berkeley Office of Legal Affairs at 642-7122.  Transparency International’s 2018 survey of perceived public sector corruption rated Uganda at 26 out of 100 (149th out of 180 countries reviewed, i.e.  corrupt).

Anti-Boycott Laws.  The U.S. Department of Commerce is responsible for oversight of laws prohibiting individuals and entities from participating in boycotts not approved or sanctioned by the U.S. government. The Export Administration Act requires that requests to participate in such boycotts or to conduct activities in any of the boycotting countries be formally reported to the Department of Commerce and/or IRS.

For other compliance-related issues, refer to UC’s International Compliance webpage.  

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR DOING BUSINESS INTERNATIONALLY

Foreign Bank Accounts. Employees wishing to open a foreign bank account should contact the Controller’s Office at cashiers@berkeley.edu or 643-9803. Requests to open accounts must be made through the Office of the President’s Banking and Treasury Services Group by the Chancellor or the Chancellor’s designee. 

Real Estate Agreements. Only employees with delegated authority to sign contracts on behalf of The Regents may enter into agreements, leases, or other contracts.  Foreign affiliates or operations must submit to the Real Estate Services Office property management agreements, personal property leases, or contracts with a term longer than one year or in an amount greater than $25,000 per year. The campus then seeks approval from the University president or designee. For more information, consult the Guidelines for the Establishment and Operation of Foreign Affiliate Organizations and Foreign Operations.

Articles

The US State Department's page on UGANDA may be found HERE.

Personal Safety

AS OF OCTOBER 15, UGANDAN AUTHORITIES HAVE MAINTAINED SEVERAL DOMESTIC MEASURES PUT IN PLACE TO CURB THE SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS DISEASE (COVID-19). INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL HAS RESUMED.  LAND AND AIR BORDERS, INCLUDING ENTEBBE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (EBB), REOPENED OCTOBER 1. ON ARRIVAL, PASSENGERS ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE A NEGATIVE PCR COVID-19 TEST TAKEN NO MORE THAN 72 HOURS BEFORE ARRIVAL. ARRIVING PASSENGERS WILL BE SCREENED AT THE PORT OF ENTRY. TRAVELERS DISPLAYING SYMPTOMS WILL BE PLACED IN ISOLATION WHILE A TEST IS CONDUCTED. FOREIGN NATIONALS CAN BE REPATRIATED AT THEIR OWN COST. TRAVELERS EXITING THE COUNTRY WILL BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE A NEGATIVE TEST CERTIFICATE. AUTHORITIES COULD IMPLEMENT FURTHER MEASURES OR EASE EXISTING RESTRICTIONS IN THE COMING WEEKS, DEPENDING ON THE EVOLUTION OF THE DISEASE IN THE COUNTRY. 

Note: this page contains basic risk information. For more details, please contact the Risk Services Office at risk@berkeley.edu.

If you are traveling to Uganda on University-related business, please sign up for the University’s travel insurance program by going here. For more information on the travel insurance program, please go here.

Because everyone’s health is unique, we suggest seeking the advice of a medical professional before traveling internationally. Members of the campus community interested in protecting their health while abroad may schedule an appointment with the University Health Services International Travel Clinic

The quality of health care in Uganda is poor. In the event of a serious illness or injury, do what is necessary to stabilize the patient and seek medical evacuation. Even basic pharmaceuticals are often unavailable. If you need medication, bring enough to last the duration of your stay.

Air pollution can be a problem in urban areas. If you have a chronic respiratory condition such as asthma, please consult a medical professional prior to your trip and carry appropriate medications.

Water in Uganda is frequently contaminated with sewage, pesticides, or industrial waste. Drink only known brands of bottled water, or boil or treat (with chlorine or iodine tablets) and filter your water. Carbonated beverages are generally safer than noncarbonated ones. Avoid ice cubes.

Eat only well-cooked food served hot. Avoid local seafood, as rivers, lakes, and streams may be contaminated with sewage and pesticides. Consume only pasteurized milk or dairy products, canned or powdered milk, and cured cheeses; cow’s milk from the central regions is likely contaminated with pesticides and should be avoided. Stay away from fruits or vegetables that cannot be peeled.

Travelers risk contracting a number of serious illnesses in Uganda, including but not limited to:

  • Yellow fever. Uganda is within the endemic zone.
  • Tuberculosis. The World Health Organization considers Uganda a high-risk country for tuberculosis. Travelers staying for an extended time should get a pre-departure PPD skin test. Avoid crowded public spaces and mass transportation whenever possible.
  • Malaria, transmitted via mosquito bites, countrywide and year-round. Uganda suffers 1.3 million malaria cases per year. Risk is highest during the rainy seasons (March to May and September to November). Outbreaks have been increasing in the western districts and in the Mbarara district of southern Uganda.
  • African Sleeping Sickness, or trypanosomiasis, transmitted via tsetse flies, year-round in rural areas from the shores of Lake Victoria northwest to Lake Kyoga. Tsetse flies are attracted to dust raised by animals and vehicles, so do not ride in open vehicles.
  • Marburg Disease, similar to Ebola, transmitted by monkeys and bats and originating primarily in caves of the Maramagambo Forest at the southern edge of Queen Elizabeth Park.
  • Leishmaniasis, countrywide and year-round but concentrated in the vicinity of Mount Elgon and the districts of Kotido and Moroto.
  • Schistosomiasis, associated with fresh-water lakes, rivers, and streams. Risk is elevated after the rainy seasons. Endemic areas include Lakes Albert and Victoria, the Arua, Moyo and Nebbi districts, the Apac, Gulu, and Lira districts north of Lake Kyoga, and the Kitgum and Jinja districts.
  • Rabies, countrywide including Kampala. Avoid stray dogs and wild animals.
  • West Nile Virus, predominantly in the Arua and Morota districts.

Street crime is a serious risk in Uganda. Petty theft, muggings, and pickpocketing are common, especially in Kampala. Most incidents are non-violent, but sometimes criminals wield knives or guns.  

Although terrorist acts are unusual, Uganda has been the target of a number of violent organizations, including the Lord’s Resistance Army and the Allied Democratic Forces, which are now based primarily outside the country. Al-Shabaab, a Somalia-based offshoot of Al Qaeda, took credit for a July 2010 bombing in Kampala that killed 74 people.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) individuals may face threats to their safety from the Ugandan government and public. The September 2016 gay pride parade in Kampala was shut down by the police. Earlier in 2016, Uganda’s Minister of Ethics and Integrity vowed to suppress LGBT rights activists and support the "rehabilitation" of LGBT individuals.

Legal/Political

Criminal Penalties: You are subject to local laws. If you violate local laws, even unknowingly, you may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. Furthermore, some laws are also prosecutable in the U.S., regardless of local law. 

Arrest Notification: If you are arrested or detained, ask police or prison officials to notify the U.S. Embassy immediately. 

Currency: U.S. currency notes in denominations less than $100 may be exchanged at a less favorable exchange rate. Travelers cannot exchange or use U.S. currency printed earlier than 2006. Western Union, MoneyGram, and other types of money transfer facilities are available in Kampala and other cities throughout the country. ATMs are available, but many only function for customers who have an account with a specific Ugandan bank.

Awareness of individual rights is growing in Uganda, not least because lawyers market their services. Nonetheless, Ugandans retain a strong preference for settling disputes out of court, especially as court awards tend to be low.

General (public) liability insurance is customary in Uganda for entities doing international business, for large domestic concerns, and for tourist-oriented companies like restaurants and hotels. Smaller companies will typically carry 10 million shillings (less than $5,000) in coverage, while larger companies will carry up to 500 million shillings (less than $150,000) in coverage. There is little demand for product or professional liability coverage. Third party automobile liability insurance is compulsory for vehicle owners and Workers’ Compensation is compulsory for employers. Clinical trials liability and malpractice insurance is also required, so anyone wishing to conduct clinical trials in Uganda is encouraged to contact Risk Services.

LGBTI Travelers: Consensual same-sex sexual relations are criminalized in Uganda. Social acceptance of homosexuality remains very low. LGBTI individuals or suspected LGBTI individuals could face harassment, imprisonment, blackmail, and violence. Individuals or organizations viewed as supporting LGBT rights also face harassment.