TotalEnergies Uganda has reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, stakeholder engagement, and responsible energy development as Uganda makes bold steps to drawing its first drops of oil.
Speaking at the 3rd Annual CSO/NGO Conference held at Protea Hotel in Kampala, Philippe Groueix, General Manager of TotalEnergies EP Uganda, emphasized the company’s deep-rooted approach of listening to stakeholders and integrating business with social and human rights priorities.
“At TotalEnergies, we remain committed to a culture of active listening, learning, and continuous improvement. We are not here to meet minimum standards, we strive to set new benchmarks in the responsible energy development of the Tilenga project in Uganda,” Groueix told delegates at the conference themed “Discerning the Business, Social and Human Rights Issues in the Petroleum Sector of Uganda,” he said.
Hosted by the Petroleum Authority of Uganda, the event drew participation from key government officials including Ruth Nankabirwa the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, Kahinda Otafiire the Minister of Internal Affairs and Eng. Irene Bateebe, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Energy.
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The CSO Conference is an engagement between the oil and gas sector players and civil society stakeholders in the oil and gas sector.
“The Petroleum Authority of Uganda appreciates the valuable work of Civil Society in promoting information sharing, empowering communities, strengthening policy and institutions, and advancing international best practices especially in social inclusion and human rights,” Ernest Rubondo, the Executive Director Petroleum Authority of Uganda stated at Protea.
Groueix underscored the importance of the conference as a platform to reflect on collective progress and accountability in the oil and gas sector.
“This conference exemplifies our shared deep sense of responsibility, transparency and accountability,” he noted.
He revealed that the company’s strategy focuses on dialogue with host communities, responsible impact management, and alignment with local development priorities.
“We are supporting access to water, energy, youth education, community health, and the greater participation of women in the project areas,” Groueix added, listing some of the already notable outcomes from the Tilenga Project such as agricultural support that has been extended to over 4,000 project-affected households, while 2,500 families have benefited from the Tilenga Livestock development.
He also highlighted vocational training programs that have benefited over 2,500 people, community agriculture initiatives reaching over 5,000 households, as well as direct employment of over 8,000 Ugandans, with 3,000 from local communities.
He also noted that more than 1,000 Ugandan youth have benefited from scholarships, internships, and training opportunities, including the Tilenga Academy
Emphasizing inclusivity, Groueix highlighted the role of ongoing engagement with NGOs and civil society through platforms such as the “Let’s Talk!” initiative. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to engage with Civil Society. Bilateral engagements with national and grassroots NGOs ensure continuous, meaningful dialogue,” he said.
TotalEnergies EP Uganda has embedded human rights at the heart of its operations.
Groueix cited the 2022 Human Rights Impact Assessment (HRIA) as a tool that has guided the company in identifying and mitigating key issues across workers’ rights, community rights, security, and cross-cutting areas.
The company publishes annual human rights reports, the latest titled “Human Rights and the Communities” which Groueix said serves as a reference point for transparency and accountability.
“We recognize the importance of the work done by the CSOs/NGOs and human rights defenders in the civic space and are committed to maintain dialogue and respect for human rights defenders,” he affirmed.
As Uganda’s oil and gas sector moves closer to first oil, Groueix described it as “a story of transformational impact and embracing historic opportunity.”
“But its success will not be measured in barrels alone,” he concluded. “It will be measured in the lives we improve, the communities we support, the rights we uphold, and the environment we preserve.”
