Yoweri Museveni, the president of Uganda, is set to go to Russia this week to participate in the Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum.
The gathering is scheduled for Thursday and Friday and is currently in its second iteration. According to the Ugandan foreign ministry, Kampala would work to further its diplomatic objectives with Moscow while amplifying the voice of Africa on international issues.
According to Henry Okello-Oryem, the minister of foreign affairs for Uganda, President Museveni's itinerary includes a private meeting with Vladimir Putin of Russia.
Security, dissemination of technology for broad advances, and agricultural modernization will take centre stage in the discussion.
According to Okello-Oryem, Kampala also wants to improve ties with Moscow in the areas of commerce, capital, access to fertilisers, and oil.
In preparation for oil production that is expected to start in 2025, Uganda is now working to build a 60,000 barrels per day refining facility in the western area of Hoima.
On the flip side, Russia has the advantage of decades of experience in oil and gas extraction and exportation. However, it was unclear right away if Museveni would persuade Russian companies to fund the refinery during his scheduled visit with Putin.
Because of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, numerous Russian businesses are currently subject to financial and economic restrictions from the West.
Although the West has criticised Russia for launching an invasion in February 2022, Uganda has said that it would not comply with the West's demand that other countries boycott Russia due to the fact that they have also committed comparable or greater crimes to overthrow sovereign governments.
"Whenever they conduct their military expeditions while promoting democracy, Where do all the trained warriors [of the overthrown regimes] go? should be addressed by them. War-related errors made by the West must end," Okello-Oryem told the Daily Monitor.
According to the minister, Uganda agrees with the African Union that the Ukrainian issue should be resolved "through diplomacy and through humanitarian means."
Museveni claimed he saw no cause to attack Russia for its bombardment of Ukraine during Sergei Lavrov's visit to Uganda in July of last year, hailing Moscow as a partner and championing Russian-African relations.
Museveni was cited by the news agency Reuters as stating, "If Russia makes errors of judgement, then we tell them," referring to his involvement in student protests against the Soviet Union's suppression of the Prague Spring in 1968.
"But we cannot hold them accountable if they have not committed a mistake," he added at the time.
In a March 2022 vote on a United Nations resolution denouncing the Russian invasion, which was backed by 141 out of 193 countries, Uganda was one of the 17 African countries that refrained.
Post a Comment
What is your say on this