President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has urged Russia to open its market to African products and increase investments in infrastructure across the East African Community (EAC), arguing that the regional bloc offers Russian investors access to a market of 331 million people.
In a statement read by Vice President Jessica Alupo at the Third Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow, Museveni called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to facilitate access for African exports, including textiles, processed coffee, fruits, fish products, leather goods, cereals, nuts and vegetable oils.
Museveni said stronger trade relations between Russia and Africa could help expand markets for African producers while creating investment opportunities for Russian businesses across the continent.
“Russian investments in these areas would be most welcome,” Museveni said, referring to infrastructure development, including railways, water transport systems and electricity generation through hydropower, solar, gas and nuclear energy.
Museveni explained the importance of regional integration in supporting industrial growth, saying the EAC market enables member countries to sustain industries that would struggle to survive on domestic demand alone.
He cited sugar, maize, dairy products and steel among the products whose industries benefit from access to regional markets.
According to Museveni, trade within the EAC is growing, making the bloc an attractive destination for foreign investors seeking access to a wider consumer base.
He also linked the EAC to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which brings together a continental market of approximately 1.5 billion people, projected to grow to 2.5 billion by 2050.
Museveni urged Russian investors to look beyond individual countries when considering investment opportunities, emphasising that establishing businesses in any EAC member state could provide access to the wider regional market.
The President also called for infrastructure development to connect African markets and facilitate the movement of goods, identifying railways, water transport and reliable electricity supply as critical requirements for industrialisation and economic growth.
Museveni recalls Soviet support for Africa
Museveni used his address to recall the Soviet Union’s historical contribution to Africa’s liberation struggles and post-independence development.
“As an old African freedom fighter, I can never forget to salute the contribution of the USSR to the freedom struggle of the African People ever since 1917, when the communists took power in Russia,” he said.
He cited Egypt’s Aswan Dam and Uganda’s Busitema University as examples of Soviet-era solidarity and development cooperation.
Busitema University, which has expanded into science, technology, engineering, agriculture and health sciences, currently has an enrolment of about 9,200 students, according to the statement.
The historical reference underscored Museveni’s appeal for Russia and African countries to build on their longstanding relations through practical economic cooperation, trade and investment.
Uganda-Russia economic cooperation
Museveni’s address comes as African governments seek to expand economic partnerships beyond traditional markets, with greater emphasis on value addition, industrialisation, energy security and access to international markets.
Opening the Russian market to processed agricultural products could create opportunities for Ugandan exporters to move beyond raw commodity sales and capture more value from domestic production.
Improved transport networks and energy infrastructure would also support manufacturing and regional trade, while Russian investment could contribute to expanding productive capacity across the EAC.
The Third Russia-Africa Summit, held in Moscow on October 28–29, 2026, provides a platform for African and Russian leaders to discuss trade, investment, energy, technology and broader economic cooperation.
Alupo represented Museveni at the summit, delivering the Ugandan leader’s message to Putin and other African leaders.
Museveni concluded by thanking Putin and the participating African leaders for listening to his message, reiterating Uganda’s interest in deeper economic engagement with Russia.