FYI: info on panel discussion "The Crude Reality: Africa's Oil Boom and the Poor" on Sept 27 at Lincoln Center.
EVENT IN NYC The Crude Reality: Africa's Oil Boom and the Poor
The U.S. will soon import a quarter of its oil from sub-Saharan Africa, pouring billions of dollars into the region. Yet Africa's oil exporters are some of the world's most troubled countries. How can Africa's oil riches benefit its poorest people? How far have reform efforts come? What can we do to help?
A panel discussion featuring -- Ken Silverstein, Los Angeles Times -- E. O. Emmanuel, Centre for Social & Corporate Responsibility, Nigeria -- Arvind Ganesan, Human Rights Watch -- Ian Gary, Catholic Relief Services -- Egbert Imomoh, Shell Exploration and Production International -- Ben Mellor, UK Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative
Monday, September 27, 2004 6:00 pm Panel Discussion Reception to Follow Fordham University Law School 1st floor amphitheater 140 W. 62nd Street (at Lincoln Center)
RSVP (410) 951-7434 or kmoul at catholicrelief.org Sponsored by Catholic Relief Services Fordham University's graduate program in International Political Economy and Development Fordham University School of Law's Joseph R. Crowley Program in International Human Rights
EVENT IN DC NGO Briefing -- Oil, Conflict and the Environment in the Niger Delta Sponsored by Catholic Relief Services Dr. E. O. Emmanuel, Head of Extractives Division Centre for Social and Corporate Responsibility Port Harcourt, Nigeria Also: Video Screening "The Goat in the Flow Station: The Social License to Operate in the Niger Delta" TIME: Wednesday, September 29, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
LOCATION: Environmental Defense Conference Room 1875 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 600 Washington, DC 202-387-3500 (Metro: Dupont Circle, Red Line)
BACKGROUND: The Niger Delta in southeast Nigeria has for many years been the focus of worldwide attention. It is a region of severe poverty and conflict where national and international strategic interests have become more important than the needs of the local host communities. Its peoples are among Nigeria's poorest, despite the fact that the oil and gas produced here accounts for over 80 percent of Nigeria's revenues. Communities of the Delta have little or no influence on how the funds received are used or managed and suffer from environmental damage that is rarely cleaned up or properly compensated. Catholic Relief Services works with a local organization based in Port Harcourt, the Centre for Social and Corporate Responsibility (CSCR), in order to address and alleviate the problems of the Delta's communities through the promotion of good governance, human rights and environmental best practices. CSCR builds communities' capacity to help themselves, thus enabling them to express their needs to the international oil companies, the government and the international community. The violence that has overtaken the Niger Delta has recently spilled onto the streets of Port Harcourt, with armed militias battling government security forces. Currently, CSCR works with 10 local communities, mobilizing various interest groups and building up their capacity to dialogue and advocate with oil companies such as Shell and ChevronTexaco and state and federal governments. CSCR also monitors, and helps communities to monitor, oil company implementation of community development commitments as well as clean up of oil spills.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Dr. E. O. Emmanuel is the head of the Extractives Division of CSCR. His background is in geology and he holds a PhD in environmental sciences and is an accredited environmental auditor. He is a founding member of CSCR and has had a distinguished career working with NGOs, the private sector and the Nigerian federal government. The briefing by Dr. Emmanuel will be accompanied by the screening of a 20-minute video produced by CSCR -- "The Goat in the Flow Station: The Social License to Operate in the Niger Delta". Please RSVP to igary at catholicrelief.org