KAMPALA: Uganda said on Thursday construction of an oil pipeline with France's Total to run through neighbouring Tanzania is expected to begin shortly after a final investment decision (FID) is made in March.

"We expect construction of the pipeline to start shortly after we have finalised FIDs, and we expect to conclude the FIDs by the end of March," said Robert Kasande, a senior official at the ministry of energy.

"We are in the final stages of negotiating a shareholders agreement" for the pipeline, he told Reuters.