EACOP project Africa: It is not uncommon to see how Western countries, NGOs, and other groups oppose developmental projects in Africa on their whims, under the guise of environmental protection, and other reasons.
Recently, failing to stop the East African Crude Oil Pipeline project (EACOP) between Tanzania and Uganda, the green goblins have now shifted their focus to South Africa, opposing another crucial developmental project.
Western NGO opposes developmental (EACOP) project in South Africa
Once again a Western NGO is shoving green diktats down the throat of Africa in the name of environmental concerns. This time, South Africa is the target, a country that is already grappling with a severe electricity crisis.
As per a report, environmental activists are mobilizing against Total Energies projects in South Africa after the #STOPEACOP campaign in Uganda. The major petroleum giant has applied for a production license for two gas blocks off the South African coast, and the investment could amount to $3 billion for reserves estimated at more than one billion barrels.
This new fossil energy extraction project is sparking opposition from players in France, such as the Association for the Defense of Marine Environments (Bloom). The environmental NGO Bloom is opposing the project in South Africa citing environmental concerns. However, South Africa desperately needs energy diversification, with electricity production today depending mainly on coal.
South Africa’s Minister of Energy, while explaining the needs said: “Our transition will be sustainable if we access the oil and gas that are on our coasts. Nobody complains when we import gas from Mozambique but when we announce that Shell, for example, is doing business, everyone jumps up”.
EACOP: Developmental project opposed in Uganda
Even before this, similar tactics were applied in Uganda against its EACOP project with Tanzania before this. The European Union passed a resolution condemning the project, calling it a threat to the environment. However, Uganda and Tanzania strongly pushed back the EU’s interference and its attempt to stall the pan-African development project.
The President of Uganda criticised the EU for being so out of touch with reality. Yoweri Museveni, speaking at the annual Uganda International oil & gas summit said, “Some of these EU MPs are insufferable and so wrong that they think they know everything but should calm down”.
Read More: Uganda’s president destroys EU elites with a powerful message
A self-sufficient Africa threatens the West’s dominance in the continent. The West has used environmental concerns as an excuse to interfere in Africa’s development but it failed in Uganda. Now, it has same agenda in South Africa and is opposing important developmental projects. The West’s duplicity is such that it sends humongous amounts of hazardous e-waste to Africa, pollutes the continent, and mints money out of it. However, when Africa undertakes developmental projects for its own national interest, the West suddenly remembers its “environmental concerns”. Considering the scenario, just like Uganda, South Africa must resist such malicious attempts and do what is best for its own interests.
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