** Totalnergies in Uganda and Tanzania: towards increased social responsibility? **
In a context of tightening standards relating to corporate social responsibility, the Totalnergies oil project in Uganda and Tanzania is at the heart of legal controversy. While six NGOs and twenty-six complainants initiated a second legal action in June 2023, the question of respect for human rights and expropriations linked to this project is becoming more and more pressing.
The hearing of May 15 before the 34th Chamber of the Paris tribunal de grande instance was marked by a debate around access to evidence. NGOs, including Friends of the Earth and Survival, have claimed the communication of documents that they consider essential to establish the concrete impacts of the project on local communities. Totalnergies, as a multinational involved in a major project, has pleaded for transparency and good faith, while considering the requests of NGOs as an attempt to divert the attention of the substantive debate on their responsibilities.
### The EACOP project: issues and implications
The East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project, which provides oil extraction in Uganda and its export via a pipeline connecting this country to Tanzania, is often presented as an economic lever for the development of the region. However, he raised major concerns about the rights of affected populations. Indeed, the pipeline crosses several territories and many people could be expropriated from their land, which raises essential questions on social justice and respect for human rights.
The NGOs involved insistence that, beyond environmental considerations, human rights issues are also at stake. Access to documents relating to the evaluation of land and cultures is perceived as necessary to understand the real impact of the project on the lives of the inhabitants. The responsibility of a company engaged in such projects is not only limited to its economic activities, but also extends to its social and environmental footprint.
### The legal framework: the duty of vigilance
The law on the duty of vigilance, which entered into force in France in 2017, aims to empower large companies about their practices abroad. It requires them to set up mechanisms to prevent human rights and environmental damage as part of their activities. This legislation is particularly relevant in the case of the EACOP project, where accusations of expropriations without adequate compensation and human rights violations are at the center of the debate.
However, the application of this law raises dilemmas. As Maître Aurélie Boulbin, a lawyer of NGOs pointed out, the court will have to decide whether the elements solicited, in particular those which have been cavited, are really relevant to establish the facts. This type of situation highlights the complexity of the legal framework in the face of often chaotic realities in the field.
### to better communication?
The tensions encountered in court not only illustrate legal challenges but also the challenges of transparency in relations between multinationals and local populations. The question of access to evidence can be perceived as an opportunity for dialogue between the different stakeholders. If Totalenergies really wishes to prove its good faith, a more open communication concerning documents and data on the impact of the project could help to appease tensions and strengthen the confidence of local communities.
### a necessary reflection for the future
This dossier highlights the importance of collective awareness of the potential misdeeds of fossil fuels, especially in Africa, a region where human rights issues are often intertwined. Companies, states and civil society must work together to ensure that projects of this magnitude really benefit the populations they are supposed to serve.
While the deliberation is expected for July 3, 2025, it is crucial that this trial is not only a legal confrontation, but a catalyst for positive changes in the way companies manage their social and environmental responsibilities. The way this case will be resolved could have implications far beyond the borders of France, thus influencing the practices of many multinationals operating on a global scale.