News Africa
DR Congo in discussions with Uganda over use of crude pipeline
Uganda is developing the $3.5bn 1,445km (898-mile) East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) that will start from oil fields in its Albertine rift basin on its western border with DRC to Tanzania’s Indian Ocean seaport of Tanga.
The controversial pipeline is for transporting Uganda’s crude to international markets when it starts production in 2025.
The DRC Ministry of Hydrocarbons said in a Twitter statement late on Tuesday that its minister, Didier Budimbu, met Uganda’s Energy Minister Ruth Nankabirwa Ssentamu, with discussions involving access to the pipeline.
“Uganda acknowledged the crucial requirement of DRC to access the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) for the transport of crude oil to be produced from the oil exploration blocks located in the Albertine Graben in the Democratic Republic of Congo,” the statement read.
DRC and Uganda share the oil-rich basin of Albertine Graben.
Technical teams from both sides would discuss and prepare reports to be presented to the two ministers who would then brief the countries’ presidents on signing a Memorandum of Understanding, according to the statement.
A spokesperson for Uganda’s energy minister confirmed the talks and said the EACOP had been designed for potential use by Uganda’s neighbours including DRC and South Sudan. Uganda and neighbouring Tanzania are also confident they will secure funding for a planned crude export pipeline.
Last year, the DRC put up for auction 30 oil and gas blocks, although environmentalists have said the development of some of the blocks would open up ecologically sensitive areas and release vast amounts of carbon into the atmosphere.
Prominent Ugandan conservationists like Uganda’s Vanessa Nakate and Bill McKibben spoke out against the EACOP and supported a campaign called #StopEACOP to dissuade insurers and banks from financing the project.
Source: aljazeera.com
-
Lifestyle1 month ago
Road Safety Authority narrates how buttocks causes road accident
-
GENERAL NEWS2 months ago
Why 15 police officers stormed Owusu Bempah’s church – Kumchacha narrates
-
GENERAL NEWS1 month ago
Watch how Ibrahim Mahama rode Honda superbike to pay last respects to late friend
-
GENERAL NEWS1 month ago
How Offinso residents storm destooled queen mother’s house, demand for new chief
-
South Africa News1 month ago
Woman thrown out of a speeding taxi while on her way to work
-
GENERAL NEWS3 weeks ago
Deadly clash between youth and navy personnel results in two deaths at Tema Manhean
-
SHOWBIZ KONKONSAH3 weeks ago
Junior Pope’s Death: Video of John Dumelo refusing to join canoe for movie shoot over safety concerns resurfaces
-
News Africa2 months ago
‘Satanically dubious’ – SCOAN releases statement on BBC’s report about TB Joshua, church