President Yoweri Museveni has assured Ugandans that the construction of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) will go on as planned despite getting backlash from the European Union (EU) Parliament.
On September 14, the EU Parliament passed a resolution that essentially called for the development plan that included the re-routing of the EACOP, citing protection of the environment, climate, and human rights in Uganda.
Ever since this resolution was passed it has raised mixed reactions both locally and internationally including Uganda’s biggest opposition party National Unity Platform (NUP) who on September 21, supported it citing, that the project is not intended for the tangible development of the country but rather its sole aim is exporting crude oil.
However, President Museveni who had already bashed the EU move on Tuesday while addressing delegates at the 7th Uganda Annual International Oil and Gas summit recommitted to the implementation of the Oil exploration program from Lake Edward that had raised both national and international debates.
Museveni said the plans to build a cross-border export pipeline to carry crude oil from Uganda’s Lake Albert basin to Tanzania’s Indian Ocean coast will not be derailed by criticism from the European Union.
“East Africa has got capable people who know what to do, my advice to the European Parliament is to spend more time in solving the problems of our people there. We are moving forward with our program” Museveni highlighted.
His voice was added to different African countries including Tanzania which recently bashed EU Parliament on the Move.
The African Union Watch under its Chairperson Bahame Tom Nyanduga noted in its statement that the European Parliament has no jurisdictional basis to discuss the African implementation of its economic development projects.
The Oil and Gas Summit was held under the theme “Harnessing Uganda’s Investment and Growth and t was the first physical summit since the outbreak of the covid19 pandemic that struck the world in 2020.
Emotional Museveni also articulated that he is not about to abide by criticism of the Europeans on the exploration plan because Uganda doesn’t have so much gas and the corridor through which it will pass can return a pipeline to bring more gas into the country from either Tanzania or Zimbabwe.
Hon. Ruth Nankabirwa the Minister for Energy and Mineral Development in her speech revealed that Uganda is at a point where the projects have significantly matured and are progressing in time for the first oil in April 2025.
“This summit is very timely because it presents a good opportunity for Uganda to share the current developments in the oil sector including the available investment opportunities” Nankabirwa added.
Eng. Irene Bateere Pauline the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Energy noted that since the conference now is not limited to only oil and gas exploration but also the ongoing energy transition this indicates huge progress.
“As a country, we are committed to principles of transparency and accountability and also protection of the environment and bio-diversity we will abide by mitigation measures that are well stipulated” Pauline added.
Augustine Bukenya the Managing Director of Beautiful Engineering and Equipment Ltd, highlighted that several international Associations, for example, one from Nigeria have currently picked interest in the Ugandan sector and thanked the president for his support both in funding and guidance.
This two-day summit has brought together all prospecting oil majors, with representatives from the petroleum authority, Ministries, the Uganda oil company, and investors amongst others.
The East African Crude Oil Pipeline that has caused contrivances is a project that covers 1,443 kilometers from Hoima in Uganda to Chongoleani in Tanga along the Tanzanian Indian Ocean Coastline with about 1,147 kilometers of the route passing through Tanzania and just 296 kilometers in Uganda.
