The 2nd Uganda-Tanzania Oil and Gas symposium, organized by the Uganda High Commission, Dar-Es-Salaam, was held on April 18, 2024, on the sidelines of the 9th Oil and Gas Symposium at the Kampala Serena Hotel & Conference Centre.
The symposium ran under the theme “Establishing linkages for sustainable partnerships” and included statements from high-level Government officials in the oil and gas sector and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The symposium, first organized in 2021, is intended to harness the power of dialogue and partnership of oil and gas stakeholders from both Tanzania and Uganda to explore opportunities, address challenges, and forge pathways towards sustainable development in the oil and gas sectors.
The 2024 Symposium discussions have focused on the critical role of infrastructure projects in unlocking the full potential of Uganda’s oil and gas resources, particularly the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project.
Addressing the audience of oil and gas executives, the High Commissioner of Uganda to Tanzania, Amb. Col (rtd) Fred Mwesigye, was keen to expound on the role of Economic and Commercial Diplomacy in the development of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline.
Unwrapping the theme of the symposium, Amb. Mwesigye said that the EACOP is a transformative initiative that holds immense importance for Tanzania and Uganda and underscored the importance of building strong, enduring relationships that are anchored in sustainability, inclusivity, and mutual benefit.
“It speaks to our shared commitment to fostering partnerships that transcend boundaries, leverage our respective strengths, and drive positive change in our communities,” said Mwesigye.
Amb. Mwesigye further said that the importance of integration of EAC and Africa as a whole should be recognized as priorities. He said that the EACOP project represented more than just a conduit for oil because it symbolizes a pathway towards unity, cooperation, and shared prosperity for the East African Community (EAC) and beyond.
“In an era marked by globalization and interconnectedness, such collaborative endeavours are imperative for regional development and economic growth. A successful EACOP project motivates consideration of extension routes northwards to Juba in South Sudan thus catalysing deeper integration within the EAC region and across the African continent.
I would urge us all to have the issue of integration at the back of our minds in our discussions,” he stated.
Speaking on behalf of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Bagiire Vincent Waiswa, National Coordinator for the Northern Corridor Integration Projects, Amb. Richard Kabonero said that the Symposium provided a valuable platform to take stock of the progress of the new oil and gas sector and review available opportunities in the transboundary project to maintain the momentum of implementing agreed deliverables and collaboration between Uganda and Tanzania.
Amb. Kabonero said that sustainable partnerships are crucial to meeting global energy demand and sustainable development and that Uganda strongly encouraged the sector’s suppliers in Uganda and Tanzania to take a long-term view of their activities in the EAC, to collaborate and share challenges and lessons learned.
“This sector must reflect our regional goal of increased economic integration and sustainable development,” he emphasized.
Kabonero further invoked the decisions of the NCIP Heads of State saying that their understanding of the EACOP Project was that it can unlock the region’s potential, and “remains a doorway to regional integration and a shared market and we must ensure we meet those expectations.”