The US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) has commissioned a US consultant to explore areas where it may be able to provide grant assistance in support of the development of Uganda's oil and gas sector.
Over the past one and a half years, Uganda's oil exploration efforts have pointed to the development of a viable oil and gas sector in the Albertine basin, which is found in the western arm of the Great Rift Valley. Canadian oil and gas explorer Heritage has put estimates of commercially available oil to more than a billion barrels of oil while Irish explorer Tullow Oil has achieved flow rates of more than 10,000 barrels of oil per day.

The US mission in Kampala said potential USTDA actions that could result from the mission include technical assistance programmes, feasibility studies and training activities. Others are orientation visits (reverse trade missions) designed to assist the government of Uganda in achieving its developmental objectives in the oil and gas sector.
"USTDA is prepared to assist the GoU with technical assistance and training on a grant basis as it seeks to harness its oil and gas resources to supplement its industrial and electric power needs," it said.

USTDA has selected RKR Enterprises as the US consulting firm to conduct this mission. After initial research and information-gathering meetings in the United States, RKR Enterprises will travel to Uganda to meet with public and private sector officials to identify opportunities for USTDA assistance.
USTDA is an independent US Government foreign assistance agency that is funded by the US Congress. The statement said in particular, RKR will explore potential USTDA grant assistance to support the development of a regulatory and institutional framework for the nation's oil and gas sector.

RKR will as well carry out human capacity building training activities that may be required to support this emerging domestic industry, which will be set for takeoff in another two years.
USTDA advances economic development and US commercial interests in developing and middle-income countries. The agency funds various forms of technical assistance, early investment analysis, training, orientation visits and business workshops that support the development of a modern infrastructure and a fair, open trading environment. USTDA's strategic use of foreign assistance funds to support sound investment policy and decision-making in host countries creates an enabling environment for trade, investment and sustainable economic development.

Source: www.busiweek.com / East African Business Week