International

The meeting at the European Parliament

The European Parliament must investigate the problematic issues in the Niger Delta, and a fact-finding mission should therefore be organised so that MEPs can see what is happening there with their own eyes. These conclusions were an important outcome of the meeting between MEPs, the Nigerian government and a number of interest groups. SP Euro-MP Dennis de Jong explains: ‘This oil-rich region is plagued by violence, corruption, pollution and underdevelopment. All parties from the region and from the European Parliament have today promised to work together to tackle these problems. This is a major step forward after a period in which such cooperation has been difficult.’

Cooperation soon, but absence today

Despite the fact that the oil companies Shell, Total and ENI sent last-minute apologies, these corporations say that they do indeed want to cooperate on further steps. They are prepared, for example, to receive the MEPs in Nigeria and to be involved in follow-up meetings with the other parties involved. “The oil companies’ absence today is regrettable,” says De Jong, “but I’m confident that they will soon show that they are involved and follow up on their agreements with all parties.”

At the meeting, in addition to MEPs, also present were the Nigerian Ambassador, representatives of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), of environmental and human rights groups, of the World Bank and of the European Commission. A press conference following the meeting was addressed by MEPs Dennis de Jong (SP), Eva Joly (Greens, France), Marietje Schaake (Liberal, Netherlands) and SP Member of Parliament in the Netherlands Sharon Gesthuizen, who in January organised a hearing on the same issues at the parliament in The Hague.