Two weeks ago, EU legislators approved a resolution alerting the public to the project’s potential for social and environmental harm as well as violations of human rights.
President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda has criticized the EU parliament for urging his administration to cancel a crucial oil pipeline project with Tanzania’s neighbour.
Two weeks ago EU lawmakers passed a resolution warning of human rights abuses and the social and environmental risk posed by the project.
“Some of these EU MPs are insufferable and so wrong that they think they know everything but should calm down,” Museveni said at the annual Uganda International oil & gas summit on Tuesday.
President @KagutaMuseveni: I encourage the oil companies to move on the two, the refinery and the pipeline.
To the EU; Uganda’s oil and gas plan will be implemented according to schedule, and I hope our partners joins us firmly and advise….#UBCUpdates #UIOGS2022 pic.twitter.com/dGHZ5RPFmt
— UBC UGANDA (@ubctvuganda) September 27, 2022
Mr Museveni has touted the oil pipeline project as one that would boost the country’s economic development.
Rights groups say some 100,000 people risk being displaced and have urged the contractors, France’s Total Energies and the China National Offshore Oil Corporation, to pause the US $10 billion (£8bn) project until they find an alternative route.
The East African Crude Oil Pipeline project will stretch 1,443km (896 miles) from Lake Albert in western Uganda to the Tanzanian port of Tanga on the Indian Ocean.