MPs quiz French diplomats over oil exploration
KAMPALA– Opposition Members of Parliament [MPs] want the French government to stop oil companies domiciled in the country from exploiting Uganda’s fossil fuels, especially oil, saying they are not adhering to Paris Climate Accords.
The concern was raised Monday in a meeting between the Opposition Cabinet and a delegation of French diplomats, including French senator, Olivier Cadic at Parliament.
“Coming from your country, even if they are private, to promote the use of fossil oils that are being run away from. Isn’t it a contradiction? It is a very big contradiction. You should be encouraging your companies to help developing countries to begin engaging in alternative sources of energy,” MP Bugiri Municipality MP Asuman Basalirwa said.
The legislators spoke after a video clip that circulated on the social media over the weekend as the French President Emanuel Macron was being sandwiched by activists at the European Union Parliament in Brussel, Belgium, demanding that his government stops funding TotalEnergies which is involved in the construction of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline [EACOP], despite the environmental concerns.
However, the French Ambassador to Uganda, Jules Armand Aniambossou responded, saying that oil company TotalEnergies is a private company.
“Our view about this project as per President Macron’s letter to President Museveni is that, it is the right of Ugandans to develop their oil sector but the rights of the people must be respected,” Aniambossou said, adding that his government is also keen on protecting the environment, an issue it had made clear to the French companies involved in the project.
The MPs also questioned the French diplomat on why his country is silent about Uganda’s governance and human rights issues.
Mathias Mpuuga who is the Leader of Opposition [ LoP ]in Parliament said: “We have had a lot of commentary from Europe on what is going on in Uganda but we are yet to pick the views of our French partners on matters regarding human rights, and how the French people think of what we regard as blatant abuse of human rights in this country.”
The Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs also Kyadondo County East MP, Muwada Nkunyingi added that France has come out to talk about human rights abuses in other areas, but the country is silent when it comes to Uganda.
“We have seen France coming out strongly in other jurisdictions to condemn attacks on political and human rights activists, why is France silent when it comes to Uganda? Is it because of your economic interests? Is it because of the oil?… be mindful that this oil belongs to the people of Uganda.”
“It is important to take decisions based on what you are thinking as a country and not what other world powers like the US, the UK, China or Russia are thinking,” Cadic said as he attempted to explain why the French government prefers not directly to interfere in Uganda’s politics.
https://thecooperator.news/oil-companies-ready-to-invest-10-billion-dollars-in-oil-and-gas-sector/
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