Implementation of Russia-Africa Summit resolutions on track – Moscow

Moscow says it is steadfast in implementing the resolutions of the second Russia-Africa Summit.

Ozerov shaking hands with New Vision Journalist, Nelson Kiva after an interview at the Russian Foreign Ministry headquaters in Moscow.

“Together with our African friends, we have done significant work to consolidate our partnership,” he said.

The forum is charged with opening up opportunities for both the development of current and the launch of new projects as well as increasing interaction between political, business, scientific and public spheres.

“We strive to systematically work with partners from Africa on all tracks; political, economic and humanitarian,” he said.

At the summit convened between July 27-28 in Russia’s second largest city, St. Petersburg, President Vladimir Putin, hosted 17 African heads of states and 49 delegations.

President Yoweri Museveni at the summit, denounced Africa’s continued exportation of raw materials as ‘modern slavery and the remaining major bottleneck of neo-colonialism in a speech which did not only capture the attraction of the Kremlin establishment but also the peoples of Russia and Africa per social media trends.

Museveni, among others, used the imbalance in the coffee earnings globally to drive his point home.

He expounded that whereas the global coffee business annually is $460b, the world coffee-producing countries’ portion is only $25b while the entire continent of Africa with many coffee-producing countries gets just $2.5b due to the exportation of unprocessed coffee.

Based on this, Museveni called on Russia and other developed allies of Africa to back the continent in doing away with the exportation of raw materials by supporting its industrialisation agenda.

Ozerov, who highlighted that Russia and Africa were two independent and consolidated centers of power that interact on an equal basis in the modern paradigm, said Museveni was accurate in exposing situations where a certain group of countries is unjustly enriched at the expense of others.

“Together we oppose the neocolonial policy of the ‘collective West’ and apply fair measures to the world order system, overcoming the situation where a certain group of countries unjustly enriches themselves at the expense of others.

During the plenary session of the second Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg, the President of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, accurately described the situation in the global coffee market,” Ozerov said.

He added that Russia stands in solidarity with the African states in their affirmative efforts to achieve economic modernisation and fighting different forms of neocolonialism.

“We are ready to assist our African friends in strengthening all security measures and protecting economic and industrial sovereignty,” he said.

President Putin used the summit to hail Africa’s growing role in global affairs and offering to expand political and business ties.

He reiterated a pledge that Russia will maintain steady supplies of grain and other agricultural products to Africa after its withdrawal from a deal allowing grain shipments from Ukraine.

On what can be attributed to his articulate speech during the summit, on Monday, Museveni received a special invitation to virtually participate in the Primakov Readings International Forum to be held in Moscow between November 27-28 under the theme; “Post Globalization Horizons”, as a special speaker.

The forum brings together decision-makers and representatives of various think tanks and universities from over 30 countries to engage in an intensive debate on current and future global challenges.

The Russian delegation led by Yukhnin Ergeny, extended the invitation to the President who was accompanied by the First Lady and the Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni at State House Entebbe.

“You are a very popular African leader, the people of Russia respect you, so they want to hear your words of wisdom,” Yukhnin said.

Museveni readily accepted the invitation saying; “We are freedom fighters, and the communist party supported us in our fight against colonialism.”

Russia’s support to Uganda’s energy sector

Ozerov delighted in the fact that there are increased prospects for the participation of the Russian companies in the development of the oil and gas industry in Uganda in addition to the practical steps already undertaken by both countries in the field of peaceful nuclear energy.

“In 2019, a basic intergovernmental agreement was signed. Discussions concerning the possibility of creating a nuclear technology center in Uganda are on the agenda. Moscow is ready to continue substantive joint work with Kampala in the field of strengthening energy security,” he said.

He added that Russia will faithfully continue to fulfill all its obligations to supply energy resources, fuel and other critical products to the African countries despite efforts by the west to frustrate such efforts.

Education collaboration

Ozerov highlighted that Russia continues to attach particular importance to education cooperation with African countries.

“Today almost 35,000 students from African countries study at Russian universities and this number is growing every year. We are ready to continue to contribute training of highly qualified personnel for the development of the African states in all areas, including technological.

To this end, the quota for education for African citizens at the expense of the federal budget of the Russian Federation has been increased by 2.5 times over three years and is equal to more than 4700 places for the 2023/2024 academic year,” he said.

He added; “Every year, we request from our partners a list of the most popular specialties, and in accordance with these needs, a quota is formed for each country. We also intend to share our expertise and competencies with our partners in order to ensure their technological sovereignty.”

Ozerov said plans for the near future include opening branches of leading Russian universities in Africa.

Close cooperation with African educational institutions, Ozerov said, was being established within the framework of the Russian-African Network University.

“We intend to continue to promote the education of Ugandan citizens in Russian universities including through budgetary funds within the framework of the quota of the government of the Russian Federation.

He added; “I would also like to note that three months ago, the name of the world-famous fighter for African independence and national hero of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Patrice Lumumba, was returned to one of the leading universities in our country, which has trained thousands of African specialists since its creation in 1960s, the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN). This is a symbol of close educational and scientific ties between our countries, a signal for our African friends that Russia is returning to Africa, and Africa is returning to Russia.”

For the 2023/2024 academic year, the number of scholarships increased from 21 the previous year to 50 this year,” he said.

He disclosed that Russia has this year offered 218 fully-funded vocational education slots through Russia’s Alabuga Special Economic Zone (Alabuga Start) for Ugandan females.

According to the Russian Embassy in Kampala, starting next year, the project is supposed to include males as well.

Plans are also underway by the Russian education ministry in collaboration with the Russian Orthodox Church to establish a vocational training facility in Kampala.