Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni is seeking to use his country’s uranium deposits to develop nuclear power.
Russia and Uganda signed an intergovernmental agreement to cooperate in the peaceful use of nuclear energy. The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the 63rd General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna.
Nikolay Spassky, Deputy Director General – Director of international activities of Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom and Muloni Irene Nafuna, the Minister of state for energy and mineral resources of the Republic of Uganda signed the agreement.
The deal agreement implies joint work in areas such as the production of radioisotopes for industrial, creation of nuclear infrastructure, healthcare, and agricultural use. It also covers the education and training of personnel.
Rosatom will establish a nuclear science and technology center in Uganda, which would be a Russian-designed research reactor.
Uganda’s energy needs are expected to jump in the coming years as it prepares to start producing crude oil in 2022 from its fields in its west(*).
Uganda had also signed a memorandum of understanding with China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) to build capacity in the use of atomic energy for peaceful purposes in May last year. While Moscow first signed a memorandum of understanding with Kampala in this area in 2017.
(*) Reserve of 6 billion barrels discovered in 2006
Original Article Here
