DAR ES SALAAM, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Rural Energy Agency (REA) of Tanzania and the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) Ltd. on Saturday signed a five-year cooperation agreement to provide electricity to villages and communities along the pipeline route in Tanzania.

The agreement was signed in the commercial hub of Dar es Salaam by REA Director General Hassan Saidy and EACOP Managing Director Guillaume Dulout.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Saidy said the partnership will ensure that communities along the pipeline corridor, stretching from Kagera Region to Tanga Region, benefit from reliable electricity services.

He noted that the initiative will improve social services in schools, health centers, and water projects, while stimulating productive activities and promoting rural business development.

Dulout emphasized that the project reflects EACOP's commitment to improving the livelihoods of communities along the pipeline route.

The crude oil pipeline traverses eight regions, 27 councils, and 231 villages in Tanzania, directly impacting thousands of rural residents.

EACOP is constructing a 1,443-km crude oil export pipeline to transport Uganda's crude oil from Kabaale-Hoima to the Chongoleani peninsula near Tanga in Tanzania for export to international markets. ■