Uganda is seeking to benefit from Turkmenistan’s vast experience in natural gas production following talks between the National Resistance Movement (NRM) leadership and a delegation from the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan.
The discussions were held on Wednesday during a meeting at the party headquarters on Plot 10 Kyaddondo Road in Kampala between NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong and Ata Serdarov, who led the visiting delegation from Turkmenistan.
Speaking after the meeting, NRM Director for External Affairs Maj. (Rtd) Awich Pollar said the talks focused on strengthening political and economic cooperation between the two parties.
Awich said the visit by the Turkmenistan delegation was significant because the Central Asian country is among the world’s leading nations in natural gas reserves and production.
“We need to cooperate in areas of expertise in gas because Uganda also has oil and gas resources. There is a lot Uganda can learn from Turkmenistan’s experience in the energy sector,” he said.
Uganda is currently advancing preparations for commercial oil production under the Tilenga and Kingfisher oil projects, alongside the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), with government increasingly prioritising skills transfer, technology exchange, and international partnerships within the energy sector.
Awich said the discussions are expected to pave the way for closer cooperation through the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two parties.
According to him, the delegation’s visit reflects the growing international profile of the NRM and its expanding relations with political parties across the world.
“This was their first time to visit Uganda, and they expressed interest in building stronger relations with the NRM. We are going to continue with political consultations that will move our cooperation forward,” he said.
Awich noted that the NRM has, in recent days, hosted several foreign delegations at the party headquarters, including representatives from Zimbabwe’s Zimbabwe African National Union–Patriotic Front (ZANU–PF), Rwanda’s Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), Burundi’s CNDD–FDD, and Algeria’s National Liberation Front (FLN).
He added that the NRM is also deepening cooperation with the Communist Party of China following the signing of a cooperation agreement between the two parties.
