On Friday, August 6, 2021Oleg Melnichenko had a business meeting with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Uganda to the Russian Federation, Johnson Agara Olva, where the former noted that our region is always open to international cooperation.
"For a number of years, we have been establishing a good foreign trade turnover with other countries, which increased by almost 26% last year. This is primarily due to the development of the real sector of our economy and its export component," Oleg Melnichenko stressed.
"We supply industrial products to 67 foreign countries. Penza enterprises export special-purpose vehicles, furniture, pharmaceuticals, household appliances, pulp and paper products. In particular, the security equipment produced in the Penza Oblast is in great demand all over the world - both for enterprises and for ensuring security at mass events," he added.
The acting head of the Penza Oblast reported that the region's agriculture specialises in the cultivation of cereals, legumes and oilseeds, sugar beet and vegetables and in meat production.
"The Penza Oblast produces 3.3 times more grain, as well as meat and meat products than it consumes, so we have a positive balance. We mostly export meat products, sugar and confectionery products and vegetable oil. Today, our region is practically the Russian capital of turkey meat production," Oleg Melnichenko said.
He expressed readiness to develop relations with Uganda.
"This year, one of the Penza enterprises exported a set of equipment to your country. I believe that the signed contract is a good start for our trade and economic relations. The contract amount is about 10 million US dollars. We are interested in expanding foreign economic contacts between the Penza Oblast and the Republic of Uganda," the acting head of the region emphasised, adding that there are prospects for humanitarian cooperation including that in the field of higher education.
The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Uganda to the Russian Federation expressed gratitude for the meeting organised despite the COVID restrictions and noted the hospitality towards his country's delegation in Penza.
"I am very thankful for the warm welcome that we received in this city," said Johnson Agara Olva.
"The bilateral relations between Russia and Uganda are very good. They have always been cordial, since the times when Uganda fought for independence and received the help of the Soviet Union," he recalled.
The Ambassador noted the importance of preserving and studying the history of mutual relations between the two countries.
"We remember how our parents were educated in the Soviet Union and think that this tradition should be preserved," Johnson Agara Olva outlined his position.
He informed about the possibility of signing memoranda of cooperation between the universities of the two states.
In addition, according to him, it is necessary to develop trade exchange. This can be not only cooperation with the Republic of Uganda, but also with countries that are members of the East African Union, for example, Congo.
After the meeting, Oleg Melnichenko instructed to develop a work flow chart of cooperation between the Penza Oblast and the regions of Uganda.
