CROSS BORDER DAILOGUE ON OIL AND GAS IN HOIMA

The Minister of state for Bunyoro affairs Ernest Kiiza has said that the Uganda national Gas and Oil Policy-NOGP was deliberately drafted with the aim of expediting gov't effort to eradicate poverty and improve the quality of life in Uganda. While delivery a key note address at the Cross border dialogue on Oil and gas in Hoima, the minister said Oil revenue will be a catalyst to rapid national development through improved services and infrastructure development to benefit all Ugandans. The dialogue which attracted participants from both sides of the Albertine Graben of Uganda and DRC(formerly Zaire), was held at Hoima resort hotel from 12th-14th June 2013. Mr Kiiza says the government of Uganda expects to be getting about 1.4 Billion US dollars annually from Oil at its peak production in a few years to come. The minister told the participants that Uganda and DRC signed an agreement in 1990 and agreed to cooperate in Exporation of hydrocarbons and exploitation of common fields, cross-border exploration works, environmental conservation among many other areas of common interest.
The role of Civil Society Organisations-CSOs in promoting and improving cross border cordial relations was also discussed and a proactive method to address potential conflicts related to oil exploration as well.
The delegation from DRC was led by Prof Francious Dhengo and comprised of Bishop Bernard Bahemuka Amooti of formerly Mboga Zaire.

Some of the issues discussed include; the impact of Oil exploration and production on Biodiversity,tourism, Flora and fauna, cross border conflict resolution like the Nkwanzi island incident  which claimed the life of an expatriate in 2009 after unknown gunmen attack on the island in Lake Albert. Compensation of the people affected and displaced by the nascent oil industry was a burning issue including the people of Kabale in Hoima where the refinery is expected to be built.   The dialogue was hosted jointly by International alert together with Kitara Heritage development agency-KHEDA in conjuction with Kabarole research and resource centre KRC. MPs Alex Ruhunda of F/Portal Municipality and Junjura of Hoima  attended and chaired some of the sessions of the dialogue.