Pictured: (l-r) Christina Katsouris, Rosalind Kainyah, Rt
Hon Clare Short, Prof Bruce Baker and Jerome Okolo
In November 2011, the African Studies Centre at Coventry
University joined with the Africa Programme at Chatham House; the
independent policy institute on international affairs, to host an
international conference on oil politics and sub-Saharan Africa.
This policy orientated conference looked at current government, NGO
and academic thinking on oil and gas, and how oil companies,
governments and NGOs could use Africa's oil riches to enhance
development and reduce poverty.
The conference attracted keynote speakers including the Hon Eng
Irene Muloni, Ugandan Minister for Energy and Mineral Development,
and former UK Cabinet Minister the Rt Hon Clare Short, Chair of the
Board for Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI).
Professor Bruce Baker is the Director of the African Studies
Centre at Coventry University. He said:
"The oil industry in Africa is rarely out of the news, with
stories of environmental destruction by spillages; armed militants
attacking oil installations; oil pipelines being broken and
exploding causing deaths; bribery of officials to gain access to
mining rights; oil exploration in ecologically sensitive regions;
and the health hazard of gas flaring all hitting the headlines.
"However, there are positive aspects to this industry, as oil
and gas may well hold the key to economic development for
impoverished countries in Africa. The challenge is therefore to
maximise the potential whilst minimising the risks, to ensure the
politics of Africa promotes good governance. This conference aimed
to bring together key stakeholders to look at some of these
pressing issues and discuss a way forward."
The conference centred on a number of key themes, with different
sessions hosted by a variety of panels taken from participating
stakeholders. The opening session looked at the positive impacts
and opportunities that oil and gas production presents to African
states that can effectively manage their resources. This was
followed by an industry perspective from Tullow Oil, describing the
growing importance for responsible multinationals to have a
broader, longer term view of how their investments fit into
national developmental goals.
The morning continued with a look at lessons learnt by Shell,
following spillages; oil politics in Chad; and Oxfam's
representative emphasising the importance of progressive legal
frameworks for new producers. The afternoon began by dealing with
the issue of the resource curse; then moved to resolving governance
challenges, with the internet being cited as a way to enable
greater transparency in legislation, and new technology such as oil
finger printing instrumental in tackling theft and corruption.
The Rt Hon Clare Short closed the conference by reminding the
audience that the challenges outlined do not just impact on Africa,
and that global solutions are needed to what is a global
problem.
The conference was supported by Coventry University African
Studies Centre, the African Programme at Chatham House, Shell and
Tullow Oil plc.
For more information about Coventry University, please visit
their website here: www.coventry.ac.uk