ACP - EU Parliament okays pipeline project
Activists protest against EACOP at head offices of TotalEnergies in Kampala on November 2, 2022. PHOTO/ABUBAKER LUBOWA
What you need to know:
- Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa says the negative effects of the project have been exaggerated.
Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa says he held “fruitful engagement” with members of the European Union Parliament over their resolution to compel the Ugandan government to halt the Shs13 trillion East African Crude Oil Pipeline Project (EACOP).
“Big win for EACOP as the African, Caribbean and Pacific-European Union Joint Parliamentary Assembly adopts an Amendment that allows us to explore our oil and gas industry. We committed to do this in a responsible and sustainable way but also invest in renewable energy,” Mr Tayebwa tweeted.
The engagement happened at the 42nd session of the African, Caribbean and Pacific-European Union (ACP-EU) Joint Parliamentary Assembly in Maputo, Mozambique, yesterday.
The ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly brings together elected MPs from the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states and the European Union.
Its work is directed towards promoting human rights, democracy and greater cooperation between the European Union and the ACP states. Mr Tayebwa is leading a Ugandan delegation to the three-day assembly in Maputo that started on Monday. Mr Tayebwa said the negative effects of the project have been exaggerated and are based on deliberate misinformation.
“Uganda’s oil projects are projected to emit 80kgs of carbon dioxide per barrel. Other global projects emit an average of 80kgs per barrel. Developed countries should accelerate their energy transition since they are the biggest polluters. They must deliver on their pledge of $100b to address mitigation challenges. Time to walk the talk,” he said.
Did Bobi Wine get it wrong on Uganda’s oil and EACOP?
Meanwhile, a group of rights activists yesterday stormed the head offices of the TotalEnergies in Industrial Area, Kampala, with a petition to the oil giant to pull out of the EACOP deal.
Armed with placards with messages of the alleged gross side effects the development of the sector will have, particularly on women, the group who were denied entry to the offices, camped outside the gate for close to an hour.
Later, officials from the EACOP led by the deputy managing director, Mr John Habumugisha, and Mr Jeremy Roeygens, the land and social manager, arrived to receive the petition.
In the three page document, the activists argue that the EACOP is an environmental and human rights bomb. They further accuse the oil giant of compulsory acquisition of land. Ms Shamim Nambassa, the former Makerere Guild President who was among the protestors, called for special interventions before the project is implemented.
But Mr Habumugisha said they have followed all the best international standards in terms of compensation and environment footprint.
“No one is going to be displaced without fair compensation. Where there is a grievance, there is a committee to ensure it is resolved... ” he said.
