The US Ambassador to Uganda Deborah Malac yesterday donated to the Ugandan government equipment that can be used to collect and analyze data in the oil sector, a statement from the US embassy states.
The donation is part of the US’s support to Uganda to help the country take relevant decisions that would help to minimize the effects of oil activities on the environment.
The donation came during an event at which the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Uganda Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development celebrated achievements of USAID’s Environmental Management for the Oil Sector Activity.
In 2013, USAID launched the Environmental Management for the Oil Sector Activity to address the impacts of oil and gas development on Uganda’s environment, and to strengthen the capacity of Uganda’s institutions to manage those impacts and to participate more fully in decision-making.
Ambassador Malac highlighted some of the activity’s key successes, including developing the first integrated Petroleum Engineering and Environmental Management Bachelor’s Degree in Uganda at Mbarara University of Science and Technology, a sensitivity atlas for Queen Elizabeth Protected Area, and public information and education materials that will stimulate community dialogue about the petroleum development process and its relationship to environmental quality.
Ambassador Malac however emphasized that more work remains. She called for sustained engagement from all stakeholders, stating that: “The consortium of international oil companies operating in Uganda has declared its intent to leave the petroleum production zones in better ecological condition than they found them, achieving a net positive effect on biodiversity. This ambitious vision will require a strong commitment from industry, effective oversight from government, targeted research from academia, and continued engagement from civil society.”
