Hours after Uganda’s parliament condemned a resolution by the European Union parliament calling on Uganda and Tanzania to stop the development of their oil and gas projects in the East African region (EACOP), Tanzania’s Energy Minister Januari Makamba criticised the EU.
Makamba told pressmen that Tanzania, like other nations of the world is entitled to use its resources the same way industrialised countries do for their people.
Uganda and Tanzania are building the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (Eacop) project, stretching 1,443km from Lake Albert in western Uganda to the Tanzanian port of Tanga on the Indian Ocean.
On Thursday, the EU parliament resolution warned of human rights abuses and the social and environmental risk posed by the Eacop project.
“We care more about our country than other people do. We will continue to make sure this project protects local communities, protects the environment, and meets our international standards so that we will continue but we commit to do,” Tanzania’s energy minister said.
Uganda’s Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa criticised the resolution, describing it as based on misinformation and deliberate misrepresentation of facts on environment and human rights protection.