MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on violations of human rights in Uganda and Tanzania linked to the investments in fossil fuel projects

13.9.2022 - (2022/2826(RSP))

with request for inclusion in the agenda for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
pursuant to Rule 144 of the Rules of Procedure

Raffaele Fitto, Anna Fotyga, Karol Karski, Assita Kanko, Alexandr Vondra, Elżbieta Kruk, Beata Kempa, Ryszard Czarnecki, Elżbieta Rafalska, Bogdan Rzońca, Adam Bielan, Beata Mazurek, Witold Jan Waszczykowski, Jadwiga Wiśniewska, Vincenzo Sofo, Patryk Jaki, Ladislav Ilčić, Carlo Fidanza
on behalf of the ECR Group

B9‑0411/2022

European Parliament resolution on violations of human rights in Uganda and Tanzania linked to the investments in fossil fuel projects

(2022/2826(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Uganda and Tanzania,

– having regard to the Intergovernmental Agreement on the East African Crude Oil Pipeline Project (EACOP) of 26 May 2017 between the Governments of Uganda and Tanzania,

– having regard to the two Host Governments Agreements between the EACOP and the Governments of Uganda and Tanzania, signed on 11th April 2021 and 20th May 2021 respectively,

– having regard to the communication written by the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders and other UN experts to the Government of Uganda on 24 January 2022,

– having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,

– having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,

– having regard to Rule 144 of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas the EACOP will be constructed in parallel with two upstream development projects, known as Tilenga and Kingfisher respectively, which will each consist of a central processing facility to separate and treat the oil, water and gas produced by the wells;

B. whereas the pipeline route via Tanzania was confirmed in April 2016 at a summit of the East African Heads of State;

C. whereas the shareholders in EACOP are TotalEnergies E&P Uganda (62%), the Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC, 15%), the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC, 15%), and the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC, 8%);

D. whereas local communities accuse TotalEnergies and the government of Uganda of expropriating their land unfairly and complain that compensations have not been payed yet while the relocations are disrupting traditional livelihoods in a way that the relocated persons can no longer generate sufficient income to nourish their family, send their children to school and access health care;

E. whereas in Uganda several non-governmental organisations working on oil and gas issues have been criminalised and intimidated and human rights defenders working in the same field have been arrested, .such as Mr. Joss Kaheero Mugisda, the chairperson of the Oil and Gas Human Rights Defenders Association  (OGHRA) and Robert Birimuye, a leader of the EACOP Project Affected People (PAP);

1. Recognises the right of Uganda and Tanzania to exploit their natural resources in compliance with national and international law and urges the concerned companies to follow good international industry practice such as the Environmental, Health and Safety and Performance Standards of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) of the World Bank and to stop any misconduct by project subcontractors;

2. Urges the governments and companies concerned to minimize and mitigate the impacts on local communities and to ensure the fair value of land by establishing a framework of fair and transparent compensation and relocation, and to commit to using the best available technology to preserve the culture, health and future of impacted communities;

3. Expresses its concerns regarding the arrests, acts of intimidation and judicial harassment against  human rights defenders and NGOs working in the oil and gas sector in Uganda and asks the government of Uganda to ensure that human rights advocates, journalists, and civil society groups are free to carry out their work in communities at risk;

4. Raises concerns about the growing economic influence of Russia, in particular in the energy sector, including the interest of Uganda's authorities to develop a nuclear power plant with Russian assistance; reminds that the democratic world imposed targeted restrictive measures on Russian companies and entities, also from the energy sector, in response to its aggression on Ukraine;

5. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, The President, Government and Parliament of Uganda and the President, Government and Parliament of Tanzania.