“Years of taking slaves from Africa and the devastation caused by that criminal trade provoked the colonized people into launching a resistance” Museveni
By Aisha Nabukeera |Update : 29.07.2023
KAMPALA, Uganda -The President of Uganda has criticized the imperialists that plundered Africa resources and orchestrated the horrible slave trade which caused massive human and economic losses to the entire African continent, retarding Africa’s economic development.
Speaking in St. Petersburg, at the second Russia-Africa summit, Museveni thanked the Socialist countries led by the Soviet Union for supporting Africa’s struggle for freedom.
“In order to understand the struggles we have been involved in, we should be reminded that by 1900, the whole of Africa had been colonized except for Ethiopia. This colonization followed 500 years of taking slaves from Africa and the devastation, that criminal trade caused. However, these criminal acts by the imperialists provoked the colonized people into launching a resistance movement by some of the black people.
The Soviet Union which was taken over by Communists in 1917 as well as the huge country of China, in 1949, those communists, were staunch antiimperialists. We are, therefore, happy to be here in Russia and we take this opportunity to thank the Soviet peoples and other socialist countries, for that support,” he said.
Museveni held bilateral talks with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the summit and outlined areas of cooperation with Russia that include oil exploration, nuclear power energy, fertilizers, the Pathogenic economy, electric batteries, and Space science that would enable Uganda to have its own dedicated satellite. He also proposed to his host, President Putin to discourage by policy the importing of raw materials from Africa, but instead work with the African governments to add value to products at source as this would transform the economies of the continent.
Russian President Vladmir Putin said that Uganda remains one of Russian key partner and ally on the African continent with the diplomatic relationship that stretched over 60 years. He added that trade between the two countries has increased 5 time in the last 6 months compared to last year and expressed gratitude that Uganda and Russia have close positions on the international arena, based on commitment to shaping a just world. He also congratulated Uganda upon its endorsement to chair the Non -Aligned Movement (NAM), taking over from Azerbaijan.
Putin also announced at the second Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg that Russia has written off debts of African states worth $23 billion.
