London, Sep 20, 2019 (AltAfrica)-Uganda is joining the big league of nuclear energy provider courtesy of Russia.

The two countries have agreed to work together in the field of nuclear energy, the Russian nuclear agency Rosatom said Wednesday, as Moscow seeks to strengthen its influence in Africa.

Russia’s state-owned companies have been at a key part of the strategy to bolster Moscow’s presence on the continent.

President Museveni is seeking to use Uganda’s uranium deposits to develop nuclear power.

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The agreement was signed on Tuesday by a Rosatom representative and Ugandan Energy Minister Irene Muloni on the sidelines of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s general conference in Vienna.

“The deal meets all modern requirements for such documents and lays the foundation for practical cooperation between Russia and Uganda in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy! Rosatom said

In particular, the agreement it implies joint work in such areas as: creation of nuclear infrastructure, production of radioisotopes for industrial, healthcare, agricultural use, as well as education and retraining.

Rosatom said the parties had agreed to organise visits by specialists in the near future.

“The parties agreed to exchange visits for industry experts in the near future and to create work groups for specific applications like in specific areas, including construction of the Center for nuclear science and technology in Uganda on the basis of a research reactor of Russian design, which is a complex but promising endeavour”

Moscow first signed a memorandum of understanding with Kampala in this area in 2017, ahead of Beijing, which signed a similar agreement in 2018.

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