We, representatives of communities affected by oil and gas exploration and exploitation, NGO members of the Oilwatch Network and other African national and international NGOs, meeting in Yaounde from 25-28th of March, 2002, at the Oilwatch Africa Conference on Government Responsibility, Corporate Accountability and Community Resistance in the Oil and Gas Mining Sector have observed that:

 There is currently an intensification of oil and gas exploration and exploitation onshore and offshore all over the world, particularly in Africa.

 Oil and gas exploration and exploitation is not a tool for sustainable development, but is rather the cause of human rights abuses, environmental and ecological devastation, impoverishment of communities, war, militarization, civil conflict and many other negative impacts.

 Oil and gas exploration and exploitation leads to the consolidation of power by multi-national corporations, transnational financial institutions and national ruling elites, while taking power away from the people.

 Oil and gas exploration and exploitation causes and exacerbates civil conflict and war, as demonstrated by the cases of Sudan, Angola, Congo Brazzaville and Nigeria.

 Voices of communities affected by oil and gas “development” are systematically excluded from international fora and their interests are excluded from these processes, such as in the case of the World Summit on Sustainable Development.

 The increase in militarisation in oil and gas producing areas is a source of repression, assassinations and massacres of peoples opposed to these projects.

 The oil and gas industry is inherently un-transparent and encourages massive corruption in Southern producer countries, particularly in Africa.

 Most oil revenues in African countries are misused by governments and do not benefit the people or the national economies.

 Oil and gas dependence has led African countries to ignore or neglect other means of economic production as well as important national issues such as education, health, food and housing.

 Rivalries centred around oil revenues has led to political instability and permanent insecurity and have favoured the emergence and development of parallel economies.

 By forcing African countries to open up to oil and gas development, international finance institutions contribute to a cycle of debt and dependence.

 International financial institutions have discouraged the adoption and implementation of strict, legally binding regulation of the oil and gas sector.

 International financial institutions, Northern governments and transnational oil and gas companies force African Countries to weaken or abolish laws and regulations on the oil and gas industries and this leads to the violation of community rights. There are no meaningful, internationally enforced regulations of the multinational oil and gas industry or the public and private financial institutions, which fund their projects.

Because of these myriad negative impacts, we affirm the right and effectiveness of non-violent community resistance to oil and gas projects in Africa.

We further recommend:

 A shift in the development models of African countries to one of reduced importance of oil and increased support for sustainable development. The first step should be to adopt a moratorium on all new oil and gas exploration on the continent.

 A moratorium on all oil and gas exploration and exploitation in war and civil conflict zones. We call for particularly urgent action in the case of Sudan and Angola.

 Suspension of all public and private international funding of oil and gas projects.

 Community voices be privileged and their interests prioritised at international fora that address any issues concerning the oil and gas sector or development concerns.

 Strong social and environmental regulations be adopted and strictly implemented by local and national governments, and by international economic and political institutions on all past and present oil and gas projects including restoration of lands impacted by these projects.

March 27, 2002