President Yoweri Museveni has laughed at the European Union, whom he said are trying hard to frustrate the ongoing East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project.
The 1443km pipeline will transport Uganda’s crude oil from Hoima in Uganda to Tanga in Tanzania.
The pipeline is majority owned by French oil company Total Energies with 62% shares, China National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC) Uganda Ltd 8% Uganda National Oil Company with 15% and Tanzania Government owning 15%.
On Thursday last week, the EU Parliament adopted an urgent resolution denouncing the human rights violations as well as the major environmental and climate risks posed by the Tilenga and EACOP projects, developed by Total in Uganda and Tanzania. Observers say the resolution could deter lenders from funding the oil project which is expected to attract billions of dollars into the economy and create over 300,000 jobs.
Following the hit back by Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa to EU Parliament, Museveni has said Uganda will look for another oil company if Total Energies decides to abandon its plans to develop the East African Oil Pipeline amid pressure from the European Union Parliament.
“We should remember that Total Energies convinced me about the Pipeline idea,” said Museveni on Friday.
“If they choose to listen to the EU Parliament, we shall find someone else to work with,” he added.
The EU legislators also asked to “put an end to the extractive activities in protected and sensitive ecosystems, including the shores of Lake Albert”, referring to the 132 wells that Total plans to dig into the Murchison Falls National Park, a protected area, and to the numerous protected ecosystems which the 50°C heated EACOP pipeline will cross.
Quoting the International Energy Agency’s 2021 report, they also recall that to have a chance to limit global warming to 1,5°C, no new oil extraction project should be developed.
Tayebwa condemned the resolution by the European Parliament, describing the EU decision as uninformed and based on hearsay.
“The propaganda largely targets the 1445-kilometer East African Crude Oil Pipeline, which will run for 296 kilometers in Uganda. The EACOP represents less than 0.1% of the operational global pipeline network of 1.18million Kilometres,” said Tayebwa.
“It is imprudent to say that Uganda’s oil projects will exacerbate climate change, yet it is a fact that the EU block with only 10% of the world’s population is responsible for 25% of global emissions, and Africa with 20% of the world’s population is responsible for 3% of emissions. The EU and other western countries are historically responsible for climate change. Who then should stop or slow down on development of natural resources? Certainly not Africa or Uganda,” he wondered.
Tayebwa said over 70% of the persons affected by land acquisition for the projects have been compensated or resettled and are undergoing livelihood improvement projects in agriculture, financial literacy, and vocational skills, among others. Total Energies SE, a giant oil and gas multinational, represents the interests of the French government.
Total Energies EP as a subsidiary of the French giant is developing oil fields in Nwoya and Buliisa Districts while another subsidiary; Total Holdings International B.V holds a 62 percent share in the EACOP holding company.
Museveni said the “remarks of the Deputy Speaker and the Attorney General in one of the dailies concerning the EU Parliament and EACOP interested me in making some comments of reassurance to our people.”
He added: “I want to assure you that the project shall proceed as stipulated in the contract we have with TotalEnergies and CNOOC.”
Museveni said, “either way, we shall have our oil coming out by 2025 as planned. So, the people of Uganda should not worry.”
