The President also recalled the close cooperation between Uganda and Tanzania, citing trade, the East African Crude Oil Pipeline, the Murongo-Kyikagate mini-hydro project, roads in Tanzania, the Masaka-Bukoba transmission line and the Standard Gauge Railway, which has reached Isaka and is expected to extend towards Uganda and beyond.
According to Mukula, Uganda believes in the free and orderly movement of people, goods, services, and capital within the framework of regional laws and protocols, stating that it will continue to stand for the dignity of African brothers and sisters because Africa belongs to Africans.
The project has 22 of its planned 31 wells ready, with some extending more than seven kilometres underground. The wells are at different stages of completion and perforation, while pumping and flowback activities continue.
The proposed Tanga Regional Energy Hub will serve as a centre for petroleum storage, refining, logistics, trading and distribution, while complementing Uganda's planned 60,000-barrel-per-day Hoima refinery. It is also expected to strengthen regional energy security, expand fuel exports and boost cross-border trade throughout East and Central Africa.
“Jobs will not be a problem. In our refinery in Nigeria, we employ people from many nationalities, and East Africans will also benefit from this project,” Dangote noted.