Ugandan Activists call on UK Prime Minister to End Resource Curse

Activists Deliver Letter to David Cameron from 200 Ugandans

Ugandan activists have delivered a letter to Prime Minister David Cameron, calling on the UK Government to ‘end the resource curse’ by supporting greater transparency in the oil industry. The letter was organised by the Publish What You Pay Coalition and signed by over 200 civil society activists from Uganda. It calls on the UK Government to force oil, gas and mining companies listed in the UK to be more transparent in their operations abroad.

The call comes at a crucial time, as Uganda gears up to start producing large quantities of oil which has the potential to transform the country’s economy and help lift people out of poverty. Activists are calling for access to information about payments oil companies make to the Ugandan government. Access to this information would empower citizens to hold their leaders to account for the money received for natural resources. It would help end the ‘resource curse’ and reduce the corruption and instability that has for too long been associated with the industry.

Belinda Atim, one of the civil society activists who handed over the letter at 10 Downing Street, said:

“I am proud to be representing the voices of over 200 activists from across Uganda who are calling for transparency in the oil industry. We have sent Prime Minister Cameron the clear message that Ugandans need his support so that the resource course that has blighted so many of our neighbours in Africa doesn’t come to Uganda.

“By introducing a law that forces companies like Tullow Oil to publish all their payments to governments, David Cameron can make sure activists like me can get the information we desperately need to hold our leaders to account. We are determined to make sure that the huge revenues the government will generate from oil are used to help the people of Uganda, not to line the pockets of the wealthy elite.”

The US passed a law last July as part of the Dodd-Frank Act which will mean all extractive companies listed on American stock markets will have to publish all the payments they make to the governments in every country they operate in, on a project-by-project basis. ONE, a campaign and advocacy organisation backed by more than two million members worldwide, is now campaigning as part of the Publish What You Pay Coalition for a similar law in Europe. All the major companies currently operating in Uganda are listed in the UK so will not be covered by the US law. The UK Chancellor George Osborne has pledged his support to the new law and has promised to push for European legislation.

Joe Powell, UK policy manager at ONE, said:

“This letter will make a big difference to the campaign for greater transparency by UK-listed oil, gas and mining companies. These activists have sent a message to David Cameron that his government should show leadership in reforming UK laws and pushing other European countries to do the same. He has the power to help countries like Uganda benefit from their oil and thus build a more prosperous, fair and peaceful global society.”

Notes to editors

• Read the open letter to the British Prime Minister on requiring UK-listed companies to publish what they pay: http://www.publishwhatyoupay.org/en/resources/uganda-open-letter

• For a high resolution image showing the hand-over of the letter to No 10 Downing Street contact Katherine Sladden, Katherine.sladden@one.org, +44 (0)207434 7554

• ONE is a campaign and advocacy organisation backed by more than two million members worldwide dedicated to combating extreme poverty and disease, especially in Africa. We have campaigned for donor countries to contribute their fair share to the Global Fund and other multi-lateral funds, for promises on aid to be kept, for debt relief and we also lobby for good governance and accountability. For more information go to www.one.org/about

• Publish What You Pay (PWYP) is a global civil society network with over 600 member groups across more than 50 resource-rich countries like Nigeria, Angola, Cambodia and Kazakhstan which are united in their call for oil, gas and mining revenues to form the basis for development and improve the lives of ordinary citizens in resource-rich countries. www.publishwhatyoupay.org

Media contacts

Katherine Sladden at ONE:

Katherine.sladden@one.org
+44 2074 347 554

Joseph Williams at Publish What You Pay:

jwilliams@publishwhatyoupay.org
+44 7775 751 170