Herbalist Dr MziziMkavu
JF-Expert Member
- Feb 3, 2009
- 42,872
- 34,363
By Ephrahim Bahemu
Mwandishi wa habari za uchumi na biashara
Mwananchi.
Kampuni ya China yaingia Tanzania, Uganda sakata ya bomba la mafuta
What you need to know:
- The $4 billion worth project will cover 1,445 kilometres, 80 percent of which is on Tanzanian soil, involving a 62 percent joint-venture of TotalEnergies of France.
The $4 billion worth project will cover 1,445 kilometres, 80 percent of which is on Tanzanian soil, involving a 62 percent joint-venture of TotalEnergies of France.
Recently, the EU Parliament advised Tanzania and Uganda to shelf the project for allegedly not complying with international standards on climate change precautions while convincing other stakeholders to boycott it.
As this goes on, CNOOC International, a Chinese oil and gas company that owns a stake in Uganda’s oil extraction project, has said that the project would be implemented as planned, despite recent tensions after EU move.
Speaking to The Citizen in Beijing recently, CNOOC International vice president Dan Shao said what was needed was the will of the respective States to make the project continue in any way possible, expressing that it has great developmental benefits for the people of the respective countries.
“Already we’ve invested a lot of money, but it is normal for all big projects or those projects with massive investments to face challenges such as this one. We’ll ensure that the investment is executed by all means possible,” reassured Mr Dan.
The boss of CNOOC, which owns an 8 percent stake in the oil pipeline project, said the deal would only stop if it had no commercial value and the decisions made had violated the laws of the respective countries but not because of a lack of funds for implementation.
“The issue of investment funds is nothing if the project makes sense commercially, there is a lot of money in the credit markets around the world looking for borrowers, since the project is good, the money will be there,” he said.
However, he said he would not think their partners (TotalEnergies) would withdraw from the project because of what is going on, adding that even though that happened, the project would continue because of its commercial viability.
Last week, Eacop, on its website, made it clear about compensations for those to be affected by the project, which is among the points raised by EU Parliament condemning unfair treatment to those affected.
In its clarification statement, it mentioned that as the oil pipeline construction was expected to start at the end of this year, only 331 out of the 9,513 victims of the project in Tanzania would be moved to other settlements, where their houses were under construction.
“For Uganda, of 3,648 households, 203 will be required to leave their homes, and most of them have chosen alternative houses, which are also under construction,” reads the statement.
Recently, the chief executive officer of Standard Bank Group in the East African region, Mr Patrick Mweheire, was quoted by the Bloomberg News as saying that the project would benefit both countries--Tanzania and Uganda.
In his clarification, Mr Mweheire, whose Standard Bank Group is an international bank that is influential in the financing of large development projects in Africa, said the implementation of the project would also reduce the effects of deforestation.
“One of the biggest issues in Uganda is that 70 percent of domestic fuel comes from charcoal and firewood, so they cut down a lot of trees,” he said.
Besides Mr Mweheire, East African Community (EAC) Secretary General Peter Mathuki put it clear through on his twitter account, saying: “The project provides answers to long-term challenges in this region. Economic benefits for our people, in EAC we care about people and the environment.”
Despite the fact that EU Parliament resolution is not legally binding, there is the influence of some activists and financial institutions that pressure TotalEnergies to withdraw from the project investment because of what they call violation of environmental and human rights.
The activists protested in front of European Parliament on September 10. The EU Parliament has summoned the chief executive officer of TotalEnergies, Mr Patrick Pouyanné, while Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said he would be ready to find another investor if the French firm pulled out, insisting that Uganda’s plan to produce oil by 2025 ha not changed.
Source. Chinese firm wades into Tanzania, Uganda oil pipeline saga
Unachohitaji kujua:
Mradi huo wenye thamani ya dola bilioni 4 utafikia kilomita 1,445, asilimia 80 ikiwa katika ardhi ya Tanzania, ukihusisha ubia wa asilimia 62 wa TotalEnergies ya Ufaransa.
Beijing. Wakati mjadala wa utekelezaji wa mradi wa Bomba la Mafuta Ghafi la Afrika Mashariki (Eacop) ukiendelea kufuatia azimio la Bunge la Umoja wa Ulaya (EU), matumaini ya kutekelezwa kwake yamekuwa mapya baada ya makundi mbalimbali – ya ndani na nje ya nchi kuunga mkono.
Mradi huo wenye thamani ya dola bilioni 4 utafikia kilomita 1,445, asilimia 80 ikiwa katika ardhi ya Tanzania, ukihusisha ubia wa asilimia 62 wa TotalEnergies ya Ufaransa.
Hivi karibuni, Bunge la Umoja wa Ulaya lilizishauri Tanzania na Uganda kusimamisha mradi huo kwa madai ya kutozingatia viwango vya kimataifa vya tahadhari ya mabadiliko ya tabianchi huku likiwashawishi wadau wengine kuususia.
Huku hayo yakiendelea, CNOOC International, kampuni ya mafuta na gesi ya China ambayo inamiliki hisa katika mradi wa uchimbaji mafuta nchini Uganda, imesema kuwa mradi huo utatekelezwa jinsi ulivyopangwa, licha ya mvutano wa hivi karibuni baada ya kuhama kwa EU.
Akizungumza na gazeti la The Citizen mjini Beijing hivi karibuni, makamu wa rais wa CNOOC International Dan Shao alisema kinachotakiwa ni utashi wa Mataifa husika ili mradi huo uendelee kwa namna yoyote ile, akieleza kuwa una manufaa makubwa ya kimaendeleo kwa wananchi wa nchi husika.
"Tayari tumewekeza pesa nyingi, lakini ni kawaida kwa miradi yote mikubwa au miradi yenye uwekezaji mkubwa kukabiliana na changamoto kama hii. Tutahakikisha kwamba uwekezaji unatekelezwa kwa njia zote tuwezavyo,” akahakikishia Bw Dan.
Bosi huyo wa kampuni ya CNOOC inayomiliki asilimia 8 ya hisa za mradi wa bomba la mafuta amesema mpango huo utakoma endapo tu hautakuwa na thamani ya kibiashara na maamuzi yaliyotolewa yamekiuka sheria za nchi husika lakini si kwa sababu ya ukosefu wa fedha utekelezaji.
"Suala la fedha za uwekezaji si kitu kama mradi una maana kibiashara, kuna fedha nyingi katika masoko ya mikopo duniani kote kutafuta wakopaji, kwa kuwa mradi ni mzuri, fedha zitakuwepo," alisema.
Hata hivyo, alisema hatafikiri washirika wao (TotalEnergies) watajiondoa kwenye mradi huo kwa sababu ya kinachoendelea, na kuongeza kuwa ingawa hilo lilifanyika, mradi huo utaendelea kwa sababu ya uwezo wake wa kibiashara.
Wiki iliyopita, Eacop, kwenye tovuti yake, iliweka wazi kuhusu fidia kwa wale watakaoathiriwa na mradi huo, ambayo ni miongoni mwa mambo yaliyotolewa na Bunge la Umoja wa Ulaya kulaani kutendewa isivyo haki kwa walioathirika.
Katika taarifa yake ya ufafanuzi, ilieleza kuwa kwa kuwa ujenzi wa bomba la mafuta unatarajiwa kuanza mwishoni mwa mwaka huu, ni wahanga 331 tu kati ya 9,513 wa mradi huo nchini Tanzania ambao watahamishiwa katika makazi mengine, ambako nyumba zao zinaendelea kujengwa.
"Kwa Uganda, kati ya kaya 3,648, 203 zitatakiwa kuacha nyumba zao, na wengi wao wamechagua nyumba mbadala, ambazo pia zinaendelea kujengwa," inasomeka taarifa hiyo.
Hivi majuzi, afisa mkuu mtendaji wa Standard Bank Group katika ukanda wa Afrika Mashariki, Bw Patrick Mweheire, alinukuliwa na Bloomberg News akisema mradi huo ungenufaisha nchi zote mbili--Tanzania na Uganda.
Katika ufafanuzi wake, Bw Mweheire ambaye Standard Bank Group ni benki ya kimataifa yenye ushawishi mkubwa katika ufadhili wa miradi mikubwa ya maendeleo barani Afrika, alisema kutekelezwa kwa mradi huo pia kutapunguza athari za ukataji miti.
"Moja ya masuala makubwa nchini Uganda ni kwamba asilimia 70 ya mafuta ya nyumbani yanatokana na mkaa na kuni, hivyo wanakata miti mingi," alisema.
Kando na Bw Mweheire, Katibu Mkuu wa Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki (EAC) Peter Mathuki aliweka wazi kupitia akaunti yake ya twitter, akisema: “Mradi huu unatoa majibu kwa changamoto za muda mrefu katika ukanda huu. Manufaa ya kiuchumi kwa watu wetu, katika EAC tunajali watu na mazingira.”
Licha ya ukweli kwamba azimio la Bunge la Umoja wa Ulaya halilazimiki kisheria, kuna ushawishi wa baadhi ya wanaharakati na taasisi za fedha zinazoshinikiza TotalEnergies kujiondoa kwenye uwekezaji wa mradi kwa sababu ya kile wanachoita ukiukaji wa haki za mazingira na binadamu.
Wanaharakati hao waliandamana mbele ya Bunge la Ulaya Septemba 10.
Bunge la EU limemwita afisa mkuu mtendaji wa TotalEnergies, Bw Patrick Pouyanné, huku Rais wa Uganda Yoweri Museveni akisema atakuwa tayari kutafuta mwekezaji mwingine ikiwa kampuni hiyo ya Ufaransa itajiondoa, akisisitiza kuwa mpango wa Uganda wa kuzalisha mafuta kufikia 2025 haujabadilika.
Ushauri wangu.
Wazungu aka Umoja wa Ulaya hawapendi Maendeleo ya nchi za Kiafrika wanataka kututawala kiakili na fikra zetu.Wanapenda kila mara tuwe madhaifu kwao tuwe tunawa bembeleza na kuwaomba Misaada na mikopo.
Wazungu hawapendi Waafrika tunyanyuke kiuchumi barani Afrika.Waafrika tuamkeni tujitegemee wenyewe pasipo na kungojea misaada na Mikopo ya masharti tutakuwa kila siku watu waombaji mpaka lini?
