The French energy giant TotalEnergies appeared in a Paris court after years of delay in a case in which six NGOs accuse it of “failing in its duty of vigilance” on two massive oil drilling and pipeline projects in Uganda and Tanzania.
The French organisation Survie, along with Friends of the Earth and four Ugandan NGOs, accuse TotalEnergies disregarding human rights and the environment as it moves forward with the massive infrastructure deals.
The “Tilenga” 419-well drilling project in Uganda, which is partly located in a natural park, and the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project are intended to transport hydrocarbons to the Indian Ocean by crossing 1,400 kilometres of Tanzania.
Once built, EACOP will be the longest oil pipeline in the world.
The NGOs are calling on the company to comply with a 2017 French law passed that compels multinationals to respect “duty of care” regarding their activities.
The legislation obliges TotalEnergies to “prevent serious violations of human rights, health and safety of people and the environment” when dealing with foreign subcontractors and suppliers through a “vigilance plan” that must map risks and establish measures to prevent them.
The core elements of the case will finally be examined three years after filing this first-ever lawsuit based on the pioneering French law on the duty of vigilance of transnational corporations, adopted in 2017.
Court case hindered by technicalities
The case has been delayed for three years due to a procedural battle that TotalEnergies eventually.
The active phase of the project began in February, and oil production in Uganda is due to start in 2025, despite condemnation of the project by the European Parliament, four United Nations special rapporteurs and numerous political leaders and associations.
Wednesday’s hearing in Paris – which was attended by several associations and politicians, including the MPs who instigated the law – is the first to be held on the merits of the case before the courts since the legislation was passed by the French parliament five years ago.
The NGOs’ lawyer, Louis Cofflard told the court he regretted that TotalEnergies had not taken advantage of the past three years of proceedings to “commit itself and comply with its obligations”, adding that there was a “certain form of cynicism” on the part of the oil and gas group.
Outlining the alleged shortcomings of TotalEnergies’ vigilance plan, he expressed his regret that it did not include “the environmental risks and climate impacts associated with the project”.
Land seizures
Some “118,000 partial expropriations [of land] are necessary” she said, but the people who need to be compensated – often small farmers – are “deprived of the right to work their land before receiving any compensation.”
The court heard that some 28,000 people are still waiting for compensation and TotalEnergies is not taking any measures to prevent thousands of farmers from being deprived of the right to use their land.
Gagey called on the court to order the group to pay them immediately.
TotalEnergies: NGOs are ‘obstinate’
TotalEnergies’ lawyer, Antonin Lévy, said he could have “spent five hours denouncing the failings” and untruths of the NGOs, but preferred to focus on “the inadmissibility of their claim.”
He noted that the summons issued in 2019 was aimed at the 2018 vigilance plan – which has since evolved.
Plus, he argued that that the Paris court cannot take extra-territorial action, maintaining that the project is led by TotalEnergies Uganda, a subsidiary of the French group.
The NGOs want to put “TotalEnergies, Tilenga and EACOP, Tanzania, Uganda and their leaders on trial”, he said, denouncing the “obstinacy in trying to be the emblematic case, the one that will perhaps set a precedent, to the detriment of the populations concerned.”
The case will be deliberated by the court until 28 February 2023.
Source: allafrica.com
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Tanzania: Samia Hands Over NBC’s 354m/ – Crop Insurance Compensation to Farmers Affected By Hailstorms
President Samia Suluhu Hassan, has handed over a cheque of 354m/- from the National Bank of Commerce (NBC) as compensation to tobacco farmers, who were affected by hailstorms during the previous farming season in various regions across the country.
Handing over the cheque in Dodoma, the compensation is part of the crop insurance service provided by NBC in collaboration with the National Insurance Corporation (NIC).
Furthermore, President Samia has also handed over health insurance coverage to members of the Lindi Mwambao Cooperative Union based in Lindi Region, through the Farmers’ Health Insurance service provided by the bank in partnership with Assurance Insurance Company.
While visiting the bank’s pavilion at the Nanenane Agricultural Exhibition and being received and briefed by the bank’s Managing Director, Mr. Theobald Sabi, she said: “This crop insurance is one of the crucial solutions in ensuring farmers have a reliable income, without fear of challenges such as natural disasters, including hailstorms.
“I call upon all farmers in the country to make the best use of this important opportunity by accessing these kinds of insurance services. I also highly commend NBC and all the stakeholders participating in this programme.”
Elaborating further on the crop insurance service, the Minister of Agriculture, Hussein Bashe, stated that it will help to recover the loss farmers incurred, especially in various calamities beyond their control.
Citing them as floods, fires, and hailstorms, which have significantly affected the well-being of farmers and caused some to be reluctant to invest in the crucial sector, Mr Bashe added: “However, our President, this step by NBC is just the beginning, as this is the second year since they started offering this service, and the results are already visible.
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“As the government, we promise to continue supporting the wider implementation of this service, with the goal of ensuring that this crop insurance service reaches more farmers.”
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On his part, Mr Sabi said that the farmers who benefited from the compensations are from 23 primary cooperative unions in the regions of Shinyanga, Geita, Tabora, Mbeya, Katavi, and Kigoma.
He added: “In addition to these insurance services, as a bank, through this exhibition, we have continued with our programme of providing financial education and various banking opportunities to farmers, alongside offering them various loans, including loans for agricultural equipment, particularly tractors, to eligible farmers.:
At the NBC booth, President Samia also had the opportunity to be briefed on the various services offered by the bank to the farmers namely crop insurance and health insurance services.
There, the President had the chance to speak with some of the beneficiaries of the services, including the Vice-Chairman of the Lindi Mwambao Primary Cooperative Union, Mr. Hassan Mnumbe, whose union has been provided with a health insurance card from the bank.
Source: allafrica.com
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