Kampala, Uganda | THE BLACK EXAMINER | In alignment with EACOP’s environmental mitigation and conservation obligations, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been established between EACOP and the Ugandan National Forestry Authority (NFA). This agreement solidifies their ongoing collaboration in biodiversity conservation and natural resource management within shared areas of interest.

The EACOP route intersects with the Taala Central Forest Reserve, primarily utilized for eucalyptus forestry. The MOU outlines a collaborative framework for EACOP and NFA to enhance biodiversity conservation in the region and engage in other forestry conservation initiatives as mutually determined.

Martin Tiffen, Managing Director of EACOP, emphasized the company’s commitment to adhering to International Finance Corporation (IFC) Performance Standards. This includes the implementation of the ‘avoid, minimize, restore, offset’ methodology to address environmental impacts during pipeline development and operations. EACOP plans to work closely with government institutions, such as the NFA, to support successful implementation, including biodiversity offsets.

Tom Obong Okello, Executive Director of NFA, highlighted previous collaborations during the project’s planning phase, specifically in the assets valuation process and tree enumeration within the project’s footprint. This information serves as the foundation for EACOP’s reinstatement and tree replanting programs.

The US$4 billion EACOP, a subterranean pipeline system, is designed to transport crude oil from Uganda’s Lake Albert area to global markets. Spanning 1,443 km (296 km in Uganda and 1,147 km in Tanzania), the pipeline commences in Kabaale-Hoima, Uganda, and concludes at the Chongoleani peninsula near Tanga on the Indian Ocean coast in Tanzania.