TotalEnergies announced last Thursday that it will analyze two oil projects in Uganda and Tanzania, criticized for their environmental impact and consequences for the population, a mission led by a specialist in economic development in Africa.

A report published on the Green Savers portal states that the former prime minister of Benin, Lionel Zinsou, founder and director of SouthBridge, a consulting firm specializing in economic development, has been commissioned by the French oil giant "to carry out a mission to evaluate the acquisition of land for the Tilenga and EACOP projects".

In a statement, TotalEnergies said that Zinsou - with whom it had worked in the past - will have to evaluate the procurement procedures, the conditions for consultation, compensation and relocation of the affected population, as well as the handling of complaints.

It will also analyze the actions of TotalEnergies' subsidiary in Uganda and EACOP (East African Crude Oil Pipeline) "to contribute to improving the living conditions" of these populations and will propose, if it deems it necessary, other initiatives to be implemented.

The report should be ready in April and the French oil company has undertaken to share the conclusions with its partners Tilenga and EACOP.

Tilenga, in which TotalEnergies has a stake of 56.67% (China's CNOOC has 28.33% and UNOC 15%), aims to exploit the oil resources of Lake Albert in Uganda.

The EACOP, in which TotalEnergies is also the majority partner with 62% (UNOC has 15%, TPDC another 15% and CNOOC 8%), is a 1,445-kilometer pipeline to be built to transport oil to the port of Tanga in Tanzania.

The projects were contested by various groups, including dozens of international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), which launched different procedures to stop them.

In September, four environmental NGOs filed a lawsuit in France against Totalenergies for "climatecide".

The French oil company explained that the projects involve the acquisition of around 6,400 hectares on behalf of the states of Uganda and Tanzania, affecting 19,140 owners or users, including individuals and administrations, and displacing 775 primary residences.

He also pointed out that, to date, 981,000,000 of the families involved have signed compensation agreements, 971,000,000 have received compensation and 981,000,000 have received their new homes.