Uganda: BRICS Is Transformative For New Members, Boosts Investment and Innovation

Uganda’s Foreign Minister, John Mulimba, has highlighted the transformative potential of BRICS membership as part of the countries development strategy. Uganda officially became a BRICS partner state on January 1.

Speaking during an interview with China’s Xinhua News Agency, Mulimba stated during 2025, Uganda’s BRICS partnership would help unlock investment opportunities and deepen ties with some of the world’s leading emerging economies. He highlighted the importance of BRICS as a platform for technological exchange and innovation, particularly in the areas of information and communication technology. According to Mulimba, these advancements could serve as valuable tools for “societal transformation” in Uganda.

Mulimba also noted that BRICS membership presents Uganda with alternative financing opportunities, reducing reliance on Western credit institutions, which often impose stringent conditions.

Earlier in November, during the Ministerial Conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum, Ugandan Foreign Minister Odongo Jeje Abubakher met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The discussion was focused on Uganda’s collaboration with BRICS, including the potential for Uganda to receive partner country status within the group. Lavrov said at the time that “Russia supported Uganda’s candidacy during the BRICS Summit in October, when the issue of extending invitations to our friends was discussed.” Lavrov said at a meeting with his Ugandan counterpart.

Other African nations have also expressed interest in joining BRICS. Earlier last year, Nigeria formally sought South Africa’s support for its bid to join the bloc. Zimbabwe and Algeria are similarly pursuing membership.

In addition to Uganda, eight other countries officially became BRICS partners on January 1, 2025: Belarus, Bolivia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Cuba, Malaysia, and Uzbekistan.

Uganda is a signatory to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which aims to create a single continental market for goods and services, boosting intra-African trade. The country is also a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), ensuring that it follows global trade rules.

Uganda has a population of about 50million people and a GDP (PPP) of approximately US$171 billion. The GDP per capita (PPP) stands at US$3,640, with a 2024 GDP growth rate of 5.9%.

Russia and Uganda have a bilateral trade relationship, although this is still in its early stages. In 2021, bilateral trade between the two countries stood at approximately US$431.6 million. The trade in agricultural products saw a significant increase in 2022, more than doubling. In 2023, Uganda imported US$202 million worth of goods from Russia, including cereals, pharmaceutical products, fertilizers, and electrical and electronic equipment. Uganda exports mainly coffee to Russia, together with tea, tropical fruits, and other agricultural commodities. 2024 bilateral trade is expected to have reached about US$500 million. Uganda’s BRICS partnership status will likely increase this.