ABSTRACT
Since it is landlocked, Uganda depends on foreign imports for consumer goods, luxury items, and energy requirements. After 1986, there was an immediate improvement in US-Ugandan relations. Washington pledged $10 million annually for basic reconstruction and a loan for rehabilitation of the agricultural sector and restoration of coffee plantations and tanneries. After gaining independence in 1962, Uganda enjoyed a brief period of tranquility with its East African neighbors, especially Kenya and Tanzania. Historically, Uganda has been an active member of numerous international organizations. On 25 October 1962, the country joined the UN and within a year had become a member of the International Monetary Fund, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the International Development Association. Since independence, Uganda has supported all major international initiatives that govern the status of refugees, including the Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees and the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa.