President Museveni inspects a guard of honour in Russia, Moscow. With him is the Ambassador of Russsia to Uganda, Mr Sergei Shishkin. PHOTO BY PPU
Museveni criticises West on Russia trip
http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Museveni-criticises-West-on-Russia-trip/-/688334/1642018/-/266vhqz/-/index.html
By TABU BUTAGIRA
Posted Wednesday, December 12 2012 at 02:00
Posted Wednesday, December 12 2012 at 02:00
In Summary
President condemns imperial aggression by the West,
and argues that a partnership between Africa, Russia,
Brazil and China can insure world peace.KAMPALA
President Museveni, currently on a visit to Russia, has criticised the arrogance of western countries and their “imperial” aggression in Africa, calling it a “big mistake”.
Singling out the violent ouster and subsequent killing last year of former Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi, Mr Museveni questioned why the West ignored African Union proposal then of a negotiated settlement.
“Is it on the account of increased power; is it out of panic on account of the gradual loss of global leadership or is it on account of determination to access new resources in order to postpone the gradual receding in terms of global leadership?” he asked.
Mr Museveni, according to details contained in a statement sent by Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Lindah Nabusayi, observed that advances in technology and possession of high-grade military arsenal such as laser and satellite-guided precision bombs, stealth bombers and cruise-missiles had renewed arrogance in “some quarters in the Western world”.
He made the remarks during a public lecture in Moscow on Monday on “The situation in the Modern World and Africa” at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, a diplomatic school of Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “Whatever is pushing those actors [in the West]; they are making a big mistake. Cooperating with Africa is the wise thing to do,” Mr Museveni added.
The President, a close military ally of, especially the United States, did not mention any of the aggressor countries by name, even as he went out of his way to entice Russian leaders to reset relations with Africa to the “cold-war” era.
France and the United Kingdom, after securing a UN Security Council authorisation on “no-fly” zone over Libya last year, led the military assault on Gaddafi’s forces, immobilising his military’s ability to employ missiles and bombs to tackle the National Transitional Council rebels.
Washington, in President Barack Obama’s word, led from behind in the conflict that toppled Gaddafi and resulted in his eventual gruesome killing by the rebels after he was caught hiding in a drainage tunnel during a botched escape bid.
President Museveni, who himself had a love-hate relationship with Gaddafi, crisscrossed Africa and worked up the telephone with Western capitals, as the war intensified, hoping to secure a halt to the bombing raids so that Gaddafi would remain in power and participate in talks about Libya’s future as espoused under an AU roadmap. He also penned a lengthy newspaper article in which he criticised the West’s unilateral intervention in Africa, but was ignored.
At the Moscow lecture, Mr Museveni condemned “hegemonism and imperialist practices”, insisting the pace and effects of changes in Libya would have been less disruptive had the West listened to the AU. “Incompetent and bombastic” Gaddafi and Iraq’s Saddam Hussein, he noted, had given way for Western arrogance and boldness because the slain leaders failed to organise a “structured people’s war and maintain cohesion of the aggressed people.”
Museveni to discuss oil in Moscow today
http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Museveni-to-discuss-oil-in-Moscow-today/-/688334/1641278/-/1nfobd/-/index.html
By TABU BUTAGIRA
Posted Tuesday, December 11 2012 at 02:00
KAMPALAThe prospects of Russia investing in Uganda’s fledgling oil and gas sector will dominate today’s talks in Moscow between President Museveni and his host, Mr Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin has confirmed.
In a statement posted on its official website yesterday, the Office of the President of Russia, while announcing Mr Museveni’s four-day official visit, said the two leaders would hold one-on-one talks today.
“At the talks, the parties will explore opportunities for expanding bilateral cooperation in trade, economy, oil, gas and electricity sectors as well as other areas,” the statement reads in part. The confirmed oil deposit in the Albertine Graben region has doubled to 3 billion barrels since the initial find in 2006, according to Petroleum Commissioner Ernst Rubondo. Emotional debate about whether the resource will be a curse or blessing to a country rattled by allegations of grand theft of public resources has skeptics and optimists split.
There is apprehension that thieving government officials were likely to misuse the windfall from oil for self-aggrandisement, in spite of assurances by President Museveni that the money will be used to build infrastructure, undertake cutting-edge scientific research/innovation and human resource development.
Bribery allegations involving senior ministers, delay in enactment of enabling legislation and disagreements between government and foreign oil firms over building of a domestic refinery plus externalised tax dispute arbitration have stalled planned production and tying the country’s fortunes.
In the interim, President Museveni has met countless delegations and flown miles overseas to charm various countries, including Iran and China, to help Uganda get a right footing in exploiting the finite resource.
However, his decision early in the year to coerce Energy Minister Irene Muloni to sign a disputed ‘farm-down’ deal between Tullow, CNOOC and Total – a parliamentary objection, notwithstanding - raised concern that power concentration in the hands of one man over such vital national resources could easily be abused. He got that power entrenched on Friday, and two days before his Moscow trip, when MPs passed the Upstream Oil law.
The President says his maneuovres over the under-the-ground wealth are well-intentioned to enable Uganda get the best out of it, although the related Production Sharing Agreements that government signed with prospecting foreign firms remains concealed, raising questions about transparency in the sector.
Mr Museveni travelled with First Lady Janet Museveni, Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa and State Defence Minister Jeje Odongo. In an address in Moscow yesterday, Mr Museveni criticised the West for “imperial” aggression in Africa, calling it a “mistake”.
