President Yoweri Museveni has today received credentials of the new Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Uganda H.E. Semivolos Vladlen.
Amb. Semivolos was accompanied by the Chargé d’Affaires Dr. Evgeny Kalashnikov.
Museveni told his guest that the relationship between Africa and the Soviet Union started immediately after the communist revolution against socialism way back by 1917.
“Since that time Africa has been working with the Soviet Union. Uganda has been working with Moscow since its independence in 1962”, he said.
The President was happy to learn that a Russian business delegation was due to visit the country to explore investment opportunities.
“I want that Russian delegation to come. I will welcome them myself. Russia is always our friend”, he said.
During the meeting that was also attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs General Jeje Odong and other officials, Mr. Museveni emphasized that inter-ministerial meetings between the two countries should always take place and on schedule to follow up on commitments.
The Russian Ambassador Vladlen Semivolos told the president that Russia has good bilateral cooperation with Uganda and is willing to foster more development partnerships.
“By next year, a Russian business association visit Uganda to establish areas of investment especially in coffee trade, Information Technology and security”, he said.
Uganda and Russia maintain a long history of cooperation in the fields of defence, education, energy, culture, trade and investment. Uganda’s bilateral trade with Russia has doubled over the last ten years, from $30m (sh112b) in 2009 to over $74m (sh270b) by the end of 2018, much of it in mining and ICTs.