Regional pipeline projects boost energy integration

In July 2026 the Gulf states announced a dual strategy to strengthen global energy and food security. Saudi Arabia upgraded its 746‑mile East‑West crude pipeline, raising capacity to 7 million barrels per day to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, while the UAE and Saudi sovereign funds poured billions into African infrastructure, mining and agricultural land to diversify supply chains.

A week later, East African leaders highlighted a parallel wave of regional integration. Tanzania unveiled plans for a cross‑border natural‑gas pipeline delivering gas to Uganda and Kenya, and Uganda moved toward first commercial oil output, planning to export crude via the near‑complete East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) to the Tanzanian port of Tanga. Both initiatives reflect a broader trend of countries across the Gulf and East Africa investing in pipeline networks to secure energy supplies, reduce reliance on contested routes, and deepen regional market linkages.