The East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) is positioning itself to deliver community benefits and environmental protection as Uganda approaches its first oil production, project leaders said at a conference organised by the Petroleum Authority of Uganda. Speaking at the fourth Annual Joint Civil Society Conference, EACOP Deputy Managing Director John Bosco Habumugisha said the project's sustainability agenda extends beyond building infrastructure to include investments that serve people and create long-term community benefits. "True sustainable investment has to include a discussion about people. Investment in infrastructure is only meaningful when people are served," Habumugisha said.
The pipeline project is partnering with China University of Petroleum, the Petroleum Authority of Uganda and Mbarara University to provide practical training for Ugandans in engineering and other technical disciplines. Habumugisha said these partnerships aim to bridge the gap between classroom learning and hands-on industry experience. The project has also invested in community development, including water access initiatives, solar energy installations in schools, support for girls' education, health programmes and environmental conservation activities such as tree planting. Among the interventions is the upgrading of a Health Centre II to Health Centre III in Bunyoro to improve maternal and child healthcare access. EACOP has also collaborated with the Buganda Kingdom on youth skills development and established a sports facility in Buddu.
Yet the transition to operations presents significant challenges, particularly around environmental restoration. EACOP Environmental Engineer Charity Tushemereirwe identified the restoration of the pipeline right-of-way and affected wetlands as among the project's most complex outstanding environmental challenges. Temporary access routes created during construction have become useful to nearby communities, creating tension between closing them to meet environmental obligations and maintaining positive relationships with residents. "Because we have created access for communities, they are also using these temporary access routes. It becomes very difficult sometimes when you're dealing with communities to then go back and say we are going to close this route," Tushemereirwe said. Some communities view the closure of these routes as the withdrawal of benefits they have enjoyed.
Tushemereirwe said communities sometimes perceive the need to close temporary routes as the company cutting off access to benefits. She emphasised the importance of continued engagement to explain why environmental restoration is necessary. On climate resilience, she called for a broader approach that considers both risks and opportunities associated with climate change. As Uganda approaches oil production, Habumugisha said EACOP would prioritise local participation, skills development for the operations phase and community investments beyond construction. "We are developing a pipeline that serves not only the current generation, but the generation ahead of us, and to ensure that we coexist with the communities where we are working, with shared responsibilities," he said.