Russia offers Uganda great economic opportunities

Jun 17, 2007

JUNE 12 was Russia’s National Day. The Russian Federation came into being on December 25, 1991, after the disintegration of the Soviet Union.<br>Russo-Africa relations are older than our independence

By Yona Mondo

JUNE 12 was Russia’s National Day. The Russian Federation came into being on December 25, 1991, after the disintegration of the Soviet Union.
Russo-Africa relations are older than our independence. Most of Africa’s great statesmen like Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Patrice Lumumba of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Samora Machel of Mozambique, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, Augistino Neto and Edwardo do Santos of Angola, Nelson Mandela of South Africa, Muammar Quadaffi of Libya and Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of Uganda, had their visionary liberation struggles mentored, fostered and facilitated by Russia.

Russia-Uganda relations and cooperation have remained steady in the areas of education, trade and investments. It is worthy noting that Russia and Commonwealth Independent States (CIS) have tremendously contributed towards training Uganda’s skilled manpower before and after independence.

It is estimated that in the second half of the 1980s, an average of 300 Ugandan students on scholarship, studied in Russia and CIS per year. I can invariably state that Russia and CIS are the second biggest contributors to our trained manpower, after Makerere University.

Some of the engineers, architects, agricultural scientists and doctors serving in the Government and the private sector include Eng. Hillary Onek, minister of agriculture, Eng. John Byabagambi, state minister for works and housing and Dr. Kamanda Bataringaya, minister of state for energy.

There are also leading personalities in the academic sector like Dr. Basiima D. Mpandey, the deputy Vice-chancellor of Kyambogo University, Dr. Barnabas Nawangwe , the dean of Faculty of Technology, Makerere University, Eng. William Kikomeko, the proprietor of clinical equipment and Ssese Islands Beach Hotel and Gilbert Ohairwe of GKO Pharmaceuticals and Half Price Super market.

Russia still extends a quota of seven scholarships to the Government of Uganda annually. The Embassy of the Russian Federation in Kampala maintains this quota will grow, subject to the effective utilisation of the scholarships by the education ministry. Additionally, institutions now offer scholarships and recruit students to study in Russia, through organisations like Soyuzonline.
This organisation links all former Soviet graduates worldwide via a website, www.soyuzonline.net and acts as a centre of exchange for trade and any other information.

In the early 1970s, Russia constructed the Lira Spinning Mill and the Busitema Mechanised Agricultural Institute. Russia has expressed interest in investing in cotton-growing and ginning. So far, $1m (sh1b), has been injected in the purchase of cotton in Pallisa. Plans are underway to lease 10 square miles in Gogonyo and Pallisa for large-scale cotton and citrus growing and processing.

Russia’s cotton purchase volumes have doubled from 500 tonnes to 1,000 tonnes in the recent past. A lot more Russian investors have begun exploring opportunities in Uganda’s energy sector.

To intensify trade, industrial, technological, scientific, energy and information co-operation between Russia and Africa, the Russian government has created an Afro/Asian desk NP-INTERFORUM, to closely work with individual nations for better results.
Recent key indicators of social and economic development of the Russian Federation show that Russia’s economic growth rate is one of the fastest at 7% per annum , GDP stands at $1,200b, categorising it into one of the 10 largest economies of the world.

Russia’s huge population of 146.3 million people and a liberalised economy provide a big consumer market for our newly-found floriculture industry, coffee and tea. Uganda should work towards tapping the huge tourist potential that Russia is.

The writer is the chief executive officer of Soyuzonline

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