AFRICA'S CHAD-CAMEROON OIL AND PIPELINE PROJECT (CHAD, CAMEROON)BackgroundThe 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.-based Chevron and Malaysia's Petronas Corporation.Follow the MoneyThe 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.ControversyThe pipeline will traverse a largely intact area of tropical rainforest that is home to the indigenous people 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 these rivers for survival. Yet the project's environmental assessment does not include site-specific Oil Spill Response Plans, as would be required in the United States. Both Chad and Cameroon have abysmal track records for human rights abuses. 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 regionsover 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 MapMap by Peter Black, Environmental DefenseReform ActivityInternational concerns about project-related human rights abuses, 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.ArticlesThe following articles relate to the Chad-Cameroon Oil and Pipeline Project:Environmental Defense and Related Articles"The Chad-Cameroon Oil and Pipeline Project: A Call for Accountability" - Korinna Horta, Environmental Defense (6/1/02)"Sustainable development: A key to global stability" - Environmental Defense (1/1/02)"NGO Efforts in Africa’s Largest Oil Project" - KorinnaHorta, Association of Concerned Africa Scholars (1/1/02)"Letter to the International Advisory Group, Chad-Cameroon Petroleum Development and Pipeline Project" - Korinna Horta, Environmental Defense (11/13/01)"Following Violent Crackdown in Chad, Environmental Defense & Chadian Association for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights Call on World Bank to Rethink Funds for Chad Pipeline Project" - Korinna Horta, Environmental Defense (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 Defense (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 regime until democratic order is established, Africa's largest infrastructure project threatens to become an environmental disaster with dire consequences 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 Defense 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 Defense 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 Defense (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 Defense(9/1/99)"The Chad-Cameroon Oil and Pipeline Project: Putting People and the Environment at Risk" - Korinna Horta, Environmental Defense (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 Defense (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" - KorinnaHorta, 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 Disguised as Aid to the Poor?" - Korinna Horta, Environmental Defense (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 Useem, Fortune Magazine (4/15/02)"Rapport de Mission au Cameroun et au Tchad du 14 au 25 Novembre 2001" - Groupe International Consultatif, Projet d'ExploitationPétrolière 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 Promises: 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)"Center for International Environmental Law's Letter to the President of the World Bank concerning the Chad-Cameroon Pipeline Regarding The Chad/Cameroon Pipeline" - Dana Clark, Center for International Environmental Law (5/1/00)"Letter to James Wolfensohn, President, The World Bank from members of the US Congress regarding support for the Chad Cameroon pipeline" - US Congress (5/25/99)Links and ResourcesWe provide links for informational purposes only. These external sites are not endorsed by ActGlobal.Center for International Environmental Law, USA and Switzerland Friends of the Earth-International (Description of the Chad-Cameroon Pipeline)World Bank: Inspection PanelInternational Advisory Group, Chad-Cameroon Oil and Pipeline Project。