The geopolitics of access to oil resources: The case of Uganda

Ten years ago, Uganda joined other sub-Saharan African Countries with new discoveries of oil; and just as the case always is, this news comes with high prospects for development and economic transformation. These ambitious projections are always based on the success stories of oil money in other countries without prejudice to the fear of the infamous oil curse that results from poor exploitation of oil revenues. With these aspirations at hand, Uganda has clearly stated in its national polices and development plans the fact that the country's development in the next 30 years shall be largely dependent on exploitation of its natural resources- such as oil.

What remains to be seen however is how Uganda intends to handle foreign interests that have for decades been associated with the “black Gold” ranging from the far-fetched interests of Western and Eastern powers, to the very eminent interests of neighboring East African Community Member states and other countries of the great lakes region. In face of the volatile oil prices, over which a Uganda clearly has no control, and the threat of global warming which has questioned the sustainability of continued use of fossil fuel, it remains to be seen how developing countries, like Uganda as a case study in this thesis- with new oil discoveries shall succeed in an already saturated oil market. This thesis explores different geopolitical concerns that Uganda ought to have regarded to as she accesses her oil, and the need to strike a balance between her national interests as a sovereign state, without jeopardizing its international relations with other stakeholder states.