By Frank Kamuntu
President Yoweri Museveni has Tuesday October 22, 2019 flown to Russia, where is to meet Valdmir Putin at the Russia-Africa Summit 2019.
Apart from talks with Egypt’s head bdel Fattah al-Sisi, Putin is expected to meet with President Museveni, Namibian leader, Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Mohammed Abiy, plus the presidents of Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria and South African Cyril Ramaphosa on the sidelines of the Russia-Africa Summit.
Shortly after takeoff from Entebbe International Airport, Museveni tweeted thus; ” I have departed for Russia to attend the Russia-Africa Summit. The Summit will focus on attention on actual and potential relations between Russia and the nations of Africa, in the Political, ecobomic, humanitarian and cultural fields, among others.”
Kremlin Yuri Ushakov, who is the President’s administrator and aide of Putin’s international relations, told media yesterday evening that;
“Putin will hold a number of bilateral meetings that were coordinated in advance. As we plan, each meeting will continue some 30 to 45 minutes, several states will be received. Given that this year we have already received several visiting representatives from the African continent, this work will be continued during the summit.”
Apart from negotiations with Egypt’s head of state Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Putin is expected to meet with Namibian President Hage Gottfried Geingob, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, President of Central African Republic Archange Touadera, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Felix Tshiskedi, President of Uganda Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Chairman of Sudan’s Sovereign Council Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan.
Both leaders are expected to discuss bilateral cooperation as well as international issues, in particular the settlement of regional conflicts on the African continent.
Ushakov said that the Russian President would try to have separate ‘on the go’ conversations with the leaders of all 43 countries that will attend the Summit, adding that it was simply impossible to schedule 30-45 minute conversations with all of them.
Ushakov admitted that Sochi would see certain “mess” during the major forum, “but Russia is getting ready for this and will do its best so that the African leaders feel comfortable in Sochi”.
Also on October 23, Putin is scheduled for a working breakfast with representatives from regional interstate organizations of Africa.
“Besides, Putin will briefly meet with the heads of leading African news agencies, just to welcome them,” Ushakov added. Also, late on Wednesday, a ceremony will be held in which the Russian president will officially meet with the heads of the delegations from the African states taking part in the economic forum and summit. “Then, Putin will hold a welcome reception in honor of the participants in the summit,” Ushakov summed up.
On October 23-24, the resort city of Sochi will host the Russia-Africa Summit, co-chaired by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Egypt’s head of state Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. The leaders of all 54 African countries have been invited to come, and at least 40 of them have already confirmed their participation.
Eight major African integration
associations and organizations are also involved in the event. On the summit’s sidelines, an economic forum will take place, which will be attended by the continent’s heads of state, and representatives of the business community and government agencies.
