How to get African oil out of the ground without Western lenders

From western Uganda, the East African Crude Oil Pipleine will run for 1,443km through farms, forests and rivers, until it reaches the Tanzanian coast. If, that is, anyone pays for it. Already, 27 banks have ruled themselves out as lenders. Shareholders, led by TotalEnergies, a French oil giant, are now courting Chinese firms as they try to raise $2.4bn in debt. In response, environmental and human-rights activists in six African and European countries protested outside Chinese banks, embassies and insurers on November 20th.