East African Crude Oil Pipeline Engages with Tanzanian Parliament to Discuss Project Progress

The East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project team, led by Martin Tiffen, the Managing Director of EACOP, held a successful engagement meeting with Members of the Tanzanian Parliament on May 25, 2023. The meeting took place at the Parliament headquarters in Dodoma, the capital city.

The purpose of the meeting was to provide an overview of the EACOP project and address key topics such as local content, land, and environmental social components. The Deputy Minister for Energy, Stephen Byabato, assured all stakeholders that the EACOP project would be completed as planned, expressing the government’s satisfaction with the progress achieved so far.

During the meeting, Martin Tiffen highlighted the discussions held with the Energy Committee and provided a comprehensive summary of the project’s journey from the agreement stage to one year of execution. The engagement meeting also featured three focused sessions on crucial aspects of the project, including local content, land, and environmental social components.

Members of Parliament actively participated in the meeting, asking questions in both Swahili and English. Their general reaction was positive, with one Parliamentarian from Sojo expressing his satisfaction with the project’s situation.

The engagement meeting marked an important milestone as it was the first time EACOP had the opportunity to meet with Members of Parliament at the Parliament premises. Additionally, some Parliamentarians had previously visited the project sites in Sojo and Chongoleani, gaining first-hand insights into the project’s operations.

The Members of Parliament praised the EACOP project for its distinctiveness and its commitment to providing attractive compensation to those affected by the project. Esther Bulaya, a Member of Parliament in Tanzania, particularly highlighted the EACOP project as an excellent model for future projects to follow in terms of compensation.

The engagement meeting with the Tanzanian Parliament represents a significant step forward for the EACOP project, fostering transparency, collaboration, and constructive dialogue with key stakeholders. EACOP remains committed to ensuring the successful implementation of the project, and the positive reception from Members of Parliament further reinforces their support.