Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment

The Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE) is an independent public policy research and advocacy think tank headquartered in Uganda and operating across the East and Southern Africa sub-regions. According to its own account, its core business is public policy research and analysis, policy outreach, and capacity building. It describes itself as non-partisan, stating that it does not align with any political party or political organisation, while acknowledging that its work is inherently political and stands for bi-partisan causes. ACODE was founded in 2000, driven by the need to establish a premier independent public policy think tank in Africa designed primarily to bridge the gap between public policy, policy outreach, and policy implementation. The organisation has noted that institutions existing before it were largely academic think tanks that engaged in policy research and publishing policy-relevant information that remained on library shelves. ACODE positioned itself to translate research into outreach and implementation. ACODE has been recognised among the Top-100 Think Tanks worldwide in the 2017 Global Think Tank Index published by the University of Pennsylvania. It states that since its founding it has emerged as one of the leading regional public policy think tanks in Sub-Saharan Africa. Its work is strengthened through partnerships with relevant institutions, and it reports active memoranda of understanding with key institutions including the Ministry of Water and Environment; the Ministry of Local Government; the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development; the West Nile Development Association (WENDA); the Uganda Local Governments Association (ULGA); the Urban Authorities Association of Uganda (UAAU); Mbarara City Council; and Gulu City Council, among others. ACODE's programme portfolio spans governance, accountability, public finance, and environmental and natural resource policy. Its Local Government Councils Scorecard Initiative (LGCSCI), launched in 2009, aims to improve local governance in Uganda by enhancing the political accountability of elected leaders and civic engagement; it began with ten districts and currently covers 35. The organisation has also championed the demand side of accountability through Civic Engagement Meetings (CEMs) and Citizen Engagement Action Plans (CEAPs), which build citizens' capacity to participate in public affairs and hold duty-bearers accountable. Its published resources include work on trade-based money laundering in Uganda, Uganda's mining legal regime and illicit financial flows, beneficial ownership laws, and climate change budget compliance. As an independent organisation, ACODE is not aligned with any political party and is not a listed company. It operates as a non-profit policy institution funded through projects, partnerships, and consultancy services, and it maintains a multi-disciplinary team of staff. Its public-facing activities include public dialogues on contemporary public policy issues, research papers, and capacity-building programmes for local leaders and communities.

The Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE) was founded in 2000. Its founding was driven by the need to establish a premier independent public policy think tank in Africa designed primarily to bridge the gap between public policy, policy outreach, and policy implementation. ACODE has stated that institutions existing before it were largely academic think tanks that engaged in policy research and publishing policy-relevant information that remained on library shelves, and that it sought to close that gap. From its base in Uganda, ACODE developed a mandate covering the East and Southern Africa sub-regions and a range of public policy issues. Its core business became public policy research and analysis, policy outreach, and capacity building. It describes itself as an independent organisation that does not align with any political party or political organisation, while holding that its work is political and must stand for certain political causes of a bi-partisan nature. A significant institutional milestone was the launch in 2009 of the Local Government Councils Scorecard Initiative (LGCSCI), which aims to improve local governance in Uganda by enhancing the political accountability of elected leaders and civic engagement. The initiative started with ten districts and currently covers 35. ACODE has highlighted success stories from this work, including former district councillors who were later elected as Members of the National Assembly in the 2021 general elections and who attribute their success in Parliament to capacity-building training received from ACODE while serving as councillors. ACODE also championed a transformative approach to building the demand side of accountability in public finance management. Recognising the critical role of citizen participation in fostering effective governance, it designed strategies that empowered communities to actively engage their leaders and demand efficiency in the delivery of public goods and services. It introduced Civic Engagement Meetings (CEMs) and Citizen Engagement Action Plans (CEAPs) in local communities, enhancing citizens' capacity to participate in public affairs, petition, and hold duty-bearers accountable. In 2017, ACODE was recognised among the Top-100 Think Tanks worldwide in the Global Think Tank Index published by the University of Pennsylvania. The organisation states that since its founding it has emerged as one of the leading regional public policy think tanks in Sub-Saharan Africa. Its work is strengthened through partnerships with relevant institutions, and it reports active memoranda of understanding with key institutions including the Ministry of Water and Environment; the Ministry of Local Government; the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development; the West Nile Development Association (WENDA); the Uganda Local Governments Association (ULGA); the Urban Authorities Association of Uganda (UAAU); Mbarara City Council; and Gulu City Council, among others. ACODE's research and publications have addressed contemporary policy challenges including trade-based money laundering in Uganda, Uganda's mining legal regime and illicit financial flows in the mineral supply chain, the status of implementation of beneficial ownership laws in Uganda, and climate change budget compliance. It also offers consultancy services and conducts public dialogues on contemporary public policy issues.

• 2025

  ACODE publishes the Climate Change Budget Compliance Assessment Report (May 2025).

• 2023

  ACODE publishes success stories on local leader capacity building and community empowerment.

• 2021

  Former councillors trained under ACODE programmes elected as Members of the National Assembly in Uganda's general elections.

• 2017

  Recognised among the Top-100 Think Tanks worldwide in the Global Think Tank Index published by the University of Pennsylvania.

• 2009

  Local Government Councils Scorecard Initiative (LGCSCI) launched, initially covering ten districts.

• 2000

  ACODE founded in Uganda as an independent public policy think tank.

Independent, non-partisan public policy think tank bridging research, outreach, and implementation in East and Southern Africa.

• Local Government Councils Scorecard Initiative (LGCSCI)

  Launched in 2009 to improve local governance in Uganda by enhancing political accountability of elected leaders and civic engagement; started with ten districts and currently covers 35.

• Civic Engagement Meetings (CEMs)

  Methodology introduced in local communities to empower citizens to engage leaders and demand efficiency in public goods and services delivery.

• Citizen Engagement Action Plans (CEAPs)

  Approach designed to enhance citizens' capacity to participate in public affairs and hold duty-bearers accountable.

• Governance, Accountability, Participation, and Performance Program (GAPP)

  Programme referenced by former US Ambassador to Uganda Deborah Malac for providing research for fiscal policy reform and building organisational capacity.

• Public policy research papers and reports

  High-quality research papers on contemporary public policy issues, including trade-based money laundering, mining legal regime, beneficial ownership laws, and climate change budget compliance.

• Consultancy services

  Advisory and consultancy services offered by ACODE.

1. 1Welcome | Advocates Coalition for Development and Environmentacode-u.org
2. 2About Us | Advocates Coalition for Development and Environmentacode-u.org
3. 3Success Stories | Advocates Coalition for Development and Environmentacode-u.org
4. 4Success Stories | Advocates Coalition for Development and Environmentacode-u.org
5. 5Advocates Coalition for Development and Environmentwikidata.org