East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) Ltd. has today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Uganda Petroleum Institute in Kigumba (UPIK) on its own behalf and on behalf of its contractors and suppliers. This MoU provides the framework that will guide the collaboration between the parties towards the realization of the Project’s National Content Capacity Building initiatives.

Given the nature of the Project, there are multiple national and international contractors and suppliers assembled for the supply and construction of the pipeline and associated equipment such as Pumping Stations.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. John Bosco Habumugisha, Deputy Managing Director, EACOP Ltd. stated that, to promote National Content, EACOP’s tier one contractors and suppliers have made commitments to implement capacity building initiatives in their contracts.

“Among the commitments made are the obligations to work with EACOP to support knowledge and technology transfer among Ugandan undergraduate and graduate students, instructors, professors, and lecturers from tertiary and vocational training institutions.”

These commitments will be realized through the implementation of two key Capacity Building initiatives, namely:

Internship programs: These will be open to graduates or existing students will offer internships with EACOP’s suppliers and contractors according to their disciplines. The duration and location of the internships varies between the different contractors/suppliers.

Train the Trainer programs: These training sessions will be delivered by EACOP’s contractors and suppliers and will seek to share knowledge on their different scopes of work on the project as they relate to various engineering disciplines and vocational skills.

To date in addition to UPIK, EACOP Ltd. has signed a similar MoU with the Institution of Surveyors of Uganda (ISU).  EACOP is also open to internship programs for students from Makerere, Ndejje and Kaymbogo Universities.