President Yoweri Museveni has told the Russian leader Vladimir Putin that Uganda is interested in purchasing more weapons from the military power.
Museveni made his intentions known to Putin during a meeting between the two leaders on Wednesday on the sidelines of the Russia – Africa summit currently underway in Sochi, Russia.
“We want to buy more, we have been paying cash in the past …and this slows down the pace. What i propose is that you supply and we pay, some sort of credit supply. That would make us build faster. We want to build a workshop for maintenance, overhaul and upgrade,” Museveni said.
Uganda has an assortment of Russian weaponry including the Sukhoi Su-30MK2 jets.
Museveni added, “What i want to suggest in this meeting is a few areas which we could look at. Number one is defence and security, where we have been cooperating very well. You have supported building of our army by buying good Russian equipment, air crafts tanks and so on.”
The Ugandan president also spoke of the importance of Russia working within the framework of the recently signed Africa Continental Free Trade Area saying the two parties can benefit.
“Recently, we (Africa) signed the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) Agreement as a follow up on the 1991 Abuja Treaty. Therefore, we can now support one another’s prosperity through trade, investments and tourism. The historic relationship between Africa, on the one hand, with Russia, China, India and the other Third World Countries on the other hand, can bring about stability in the World through balanced and mutually beneficial trade, investments and tourism. The future of the World is bright if we act rightly,” Museveni stated.
Museveni and Putin also discussed the manufacture of human and livestock vaccines, space technology, construction, cyber technology and agriculture among others, as areas in which the two countries can cooperate.
