AFRICA'S CHAD-CAMEROON OIL AND PIPELINE PROJECT (CHAD, CAMEROON)
Background
The Chad-Cameroon oil and pipeline project aims to develop the Doba oil fields in southern Chad and build a pipeline more than 1,000 kilometers long through Cameroon to offshore loading facilities on Cameroon's coast. ExxonMobil of the U.S. is the project operator; its partners for this venture are U.S.-bad Chevron and Malaysia's Petronas Corporation.
Follow the Money
The U.S. Export-Import Bank, an ECA from the United States, is guaranteeing $200 million in commercial bank loans for this $3.7 billion project. France's COFACE, also an ECA, is another major backer of the project. The World Bank's decision to approve nearly $300 million in loans and guarantees to fund the project in June 2000 gave the green light to other funding agencies, such as the European Investment Bank, to jump on board.
Controversy
The pipeline will traver a largely intact area of tropical rainforest that is home to the indigenous peopl
e popularly known as Pygmies. In Cameroon alone, the pipeline will make 17 major river crossings, and it will run along the Sanaga, one of Africa's most important river systems. Leaks and oil spills from the pipeline could be devastating to local water supplies, putting at risk both the environment and the people who rely on the rivers for survival. Yet the project's environmental asssment does not include site-specific Oil Spill Respon Plans, as would be required in the United States. Both Chad and Cameroon have abysmal track records for human rights abus. In the years 1999 and 2000 Cameroon was rated the most corrupt country in the world by the watchdog organization Transparency International. And according to Amnesty International, the government of Chad is responsible for killing hundreds of unarmed civilians in its oil-producing regions
over the past three years; the disappearance and murder of civilians in police custody are common. In other words, if locals are harmed by this project, there is little chance of help or support from their own governments.
Chad-Cameroon Pipeline Map
Map by Peter Black, Environmental Defen
Reform Activity
International concerns about project-related human rights abus, environmental destruction and corruption delayed the start-up of this scheme until last summer. At that point, the World Bank approved financing for the project, stating that adequate environmental, social and anti-corruption measures were in place to ensure that the project would vastly reduce poverty in both Chad and Cameroon. Despite protests from civil society organizations in both Chad and Cameroon, the World Bank is proceeding with funding.
Articles
The following articles relate to the Chad-Cameroon Oil and Pipeline Project:
Environmental Defen and Related Articles
"The Chad-Cameroon Oil and Pipeline Project: A Call for Accountability" - Korinna Horta, Environmental Defen (6/1/02)
"Sustainable development: A key to global stability" - Environmental Defen (1/1/02)
"NGO Efforts in Africa’s Largest Oil Project" - Korinna
Horta, Association of Concerned Africa Scholars (1/1/02)
"Letter to the International Advisory Group, Chad-Cameroon Petroleum Development and Pipeline Project" - Korinna Horta, Environmental Defen (11/13/01)
"Following Violent Crackdown in Chad, Environmental Defen & Chadian Association for the Promotion and Defen of Human Rights Call on World Bank to Rethink Funds for Chad Pipeline Project" - Korinna Horta, Environmental Defen (6/13/01)
"Concerns Remain around Chad/Cameroon Pipeline Project" - Korinna Horta, Just Earth! Network Newsletter (6/1/01)
"An Open Letter to Mr. James D. Wolfensohn, President of the World Bank" - Korinna Horta, Environmental Defen (6/1/01)
After the arrest of members of the political opposition and the torture of the former parliamentarian from the oil-producing region, the World Bank must rethink the Chad/Cameroon Oil and Pipeline project. Unless the World Bank assumes its responsibility and suspends its support for the Chadian r
egime until democratic order is established, Africa's largest infrastructure project threatens to become an environmental disaster with dire conquences for an already impoverished people.
"Chad-Cameroon: Oil revenues versus human rights and environment" - Korinna Horta, World Rainforest Movement Bulletin (4/1/01)
"Visit report to Chad and Cameroon" - Korinna Horta and Delphine K. Djiraibe, Environmental Defen and Center for International Environmental Law (2/20/01)
"Rapport de la visite au Tchad et au Cameroun" - Korinna Horta and Delphine K. Djiraibe, Environmental Defen and Center for International Environmental Law (2/20/01)
"The Chad/Cameroon oil pipeline – an ecological disaster or a victory for sustainable development?" - Korinna Horta (interviewed), Edie News (12/1/00)
"Funding Big Oil in the Name of the Poor" - Korinna Horta, The Ecologist Report (9/1/00)
"Letter to Mr. James D. Wolfensohn, President of the World Bank" - Korinna Horta, Environmental Defen (7/10/00)
From 73 NGOs and NGO Umbrella Organizations in 23 Countries Regarding the Establishment of the International Advisory Group for the Chad-Cameroon Oil & Pipeline Export Project
"Will it be Business as Usual at the World Bank? (Commentary)" - Korinna Horta and Delphine Djiraibe, Los Angeles Times (5/9/00)
"The Chad-Cameroon Oil and Pipeline Project, Plans for Environmental Monitoring: Multilayered Conflicts of Interest" - Korinna Horta, NC-IUCN Symposium (2/25/00)
"Projet Petrolier et d'oleoduc au Tschad et au Cameroun: Peuples et Environnment en Danger" - Korinna Horta, Environmental Defen
(9/1/99)
"The Chad-Cameroon Oil and Pipeline Project: Putting People and the Environment at Risk" - Korinna Horta, Environmental Defen (9/1/99) "The More Things Change…The World Bank, Cameroon, and the Politics of 'Governance'" - Korinna Horta, Multinational Monitor (6/1/99) "Open Letter to Mr. James D. Wolfensohn, President of the World Bank" - Korinna Horta, Environmental Defen (7/9/98)
From 86 NGOs in 28 Countries Concerning the Chad/Cameroon Oil & Pipeline Project
"Oil Project and Oil Pipeline Chad-Cameroon" - Korinna Horta, Tegantai (5/1/98)
"Proyecto Petrolero y Oleoducto Chad/Camerun" - Korinna
Horta, Tegantai (5/1/98)
"Fueling Strife in Chad and Cameroon: The Exxon-Shell-ELF-World Bank Plans for Central Africa" - Korinna Horta, The Multinational Monitor (5/1/97)
"Questions Concerning The World Bank and Chad/Cameroon Oil and Pipeline Project, Making of a New Ogoniland? Corporate Welfare Disguid as Aid to the Poor?" - Korinna Horta, Environmental Defen (2/1/97)
Additional Articles
"Exxon's African Adventure: How to Build a $3.5 Billion Pipeline -- With the 'Help' of NGOs, the World Bank, and yes, Chicken Sacrifices " - Jerry Uem, Fortune Magazine (4/15/02)
"Rapport de Mission au Cameroun et au Tchad du 14 au 25 Novembre 2001" - Groupe International Consultatif, Projet d'Exploitation
Pétrolière et d'Oléoduc Tchad-Cameroun (12/21/01)
"Report of Mission to Cameroon and Chad, November 14–25, 2001" - International Advisory Group, Chad-Cameroon Petroleum Development and Pipeline Project (12/21/01)
"Broken Promis: The Chad Cameroon Oil and Pipeline Project; Profit at Any Cost?" - Center for Environment and Development, Friends of the Earth-International (6/1/01)
"Open Letter To The President Of The World Bank Concerning The International Advisory Group" - Delphine K. Djiraibe, Raphael Yimga Tatchi, Samuel Nguiffo et. al , Center for International Environmental Law and Centre pour l‘Environment et le Development (2/28/01) "Environmentalists Express Concern as World Bank Announces Watchdog for Chad-Cameroon Pipeline" - Center for International Environmental Law (2/22/01)
"World Bank Appoints International Advisory Group on the Chad-Cameroon Petroleum Development and Pipeline Project" - The World Bank (2/21/01)
