Kudra Maliro
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC )has opened talks with neighbouring Uganda on possible use of the country's crude oil pipeline to export petroleum, the hydrocarbons minister has said.
The massive East African Crude Oil Pipeline (Eacop) runs 898 mile from western Uganda, where it neighbours DRC, to Tanzania's port of Tanga. French energy giant Total Energies and Chinese energy firm CNOOC International have a stake in the $5bn (£4bn) project.
The pipeline has attracted controversy over concerns for the environment and climate but Uganda and Tanzania say they need it for economic development. Uganda hopes to start production in two years.
In a statement, the DRC Ministry of Hydrocarbons said minister Didier Budimbu met with his Ugandan counterpart for talks on access to the pipeline.
The two countries share the basin of Albertine Graben where oil gas blocks have been found. DRC hopes its crude oil could be transported through the pipeline.
“Uganda acknowledged the crucial requirement of DRC to access the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) for the transport of crude oil to be produced from the oil exploration blocks located in the Albertine Graben in the Democratic Republic of Congo,” the statement read.
The statement said technical teams from both sides would discuss and prepare reports to be presented to the two ministers who would then brief the countries’ presidents on signing a Memorandum of Understanding.
