A three-day visit, starting on 26 November by Uganda’s President, H.E. Yoweri Museveni, to Tanzania to discuss with his counterpart, H.E. President Samia Suluhu Hassan, key strategic projects, including progress on the $3.5 billion East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project, is expected to deepen cooperation in regional trade and development between the central-African countries.
Jointly constructed between the two countries, the 1,445km EACOP project is expected to connect Uganda’s oil fields to Tanzania’s port city of Tanga, which is expected to create 5,000 direct and over 20,000 indirect jobs. Recently, Uganda secured five acres at Tanga to develop a business complex to monitor the country’s projected cash inflow from petroleum exports to international markets, with first oil from the Albertine Grabben belt expected to commence by 2025.
Additionally, the pipeline will see gas flow from the coastal region of Tanzania to the continent’s inland areas of Kadam, Karamjoa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Sudan.
“I’m happy to tell Tanzanians, Ugandans, and the world that the activities on the pipeline are complete,” President Museveni stated during the visit.
A proposed Bill to enable the development and implementation of the EACOP is expected to be finalized by the Ugandan Parliament this year, with Energy Minister, Ruth Nankabirwa stating that the “Parliament committee handling the Bill has already completed and submitted its report.”
