Africa / Press Releases

As the African Development Bank convenes in Shanghai for its annual meeting, African and international civil society groups call for greater public accountability in China’s relations with Africa China’s expanding role in Africa may represent a great opportunity for development, but only if China is careful not to repeat the errors that Western powers made in the past.

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• Lori Pottinger (International Rivers) in California: +1 510 848-1155, lori [at] internationalrivers [dot] org'
• Nikki Reisch (BIC) in Washington: + 1 202 624-0635

A statement by Save Mabira Crusade following the arrest of civil society leaders.

A Uganda protest to denounce government plans to raze a protected forest ended in violence and the arrest of civil society leaders yesterday. Organizers of the march say they believe that police actions incited the violence, and that the arrests were politically motivated. Protest organizers stated their commitment to nonviolence, and quickly denounced the bloodshed and violence.

Cameroon -- "Access to affordable and clean electricity for the millions of Africans who today have none" is a fitting goal for the World Energy Council (WEC)’s energy planning in Africa.¹ But their answer, the $50 billion USD Grand Inga hydropower scheme, is not the panacea project that the WEC would like it to be. The WEC is preparing to convene an International Forum on the Grand Inga Project "How to make the Grand Inga Hydropower Project happen for Africa" which will take place in Gaborone, Botswana, 16-17 March 2007.

Environmental campaigners welcomed yesterday’s decision by the World Bank to debar German-based Lahmeyer International for bribing officials to win contracts for Africa’s largest inter-basin water transfer scheme, the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP).

Civil society demands an end to impoundment and resolution of resettlement issues as fears of violence increase

LONDON: More than 100 families were suddenly forced to abandon their homes on August 7 because of rising flood waters after the authorities at the Merowe Dam in Sudan unexpectedly closed the dam’s gates and began filling its reservoir. No warning was given of the impending flooding. The families, all from the Amri people, have been left without food or shelter. Six other villages are threatened with imminent inundation.

Civil Society Responds to Chinese Funding for Mozambique Mega–Dam Mphanda Nkuwa Will Worsen Poverty, Harm Efforts to Restore Zambezi Delta

:: Portuguese ::

The government of Mozambique announced last Friday, 21 April, that the Export–Import Bank of China has agreed to back the construction of the proposed Mphanda Nkuwa Dam, worth over US $2 billion. The financial agreement comes at great risk to Mozambique’s economy, environment, and people, for the benefit of foreign big business. Justiça Ambiental (JA!), a Mozambique–based organization, is urging its government to suspend all activity on the project until all project studies are completed and published. JA! and other organizations have been monitoring the preparation for Mphanda Nkuwa since 2000.

On April 22, 2006, the militia of the Merowe Dam authorities, armed with machine guns and heavy artillery, attacked the affected people of Amri village while they were gathering in the village school in the dam–affected area. The Amri communities have been vigorously resisting displacement in the past months. The attacking militia opened fire on people without warning when they were having breakfast in the school courtyard. Three people were immediately killed and more than fifty injured.

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the Merowe Dam in Sudan, the largest hydropower project currently under construction in Africa, is of poor quality and does not address many of the project’s potential impacts on the environment. These are the main findings of an independent review of the EIA which was just published by EAWAG, the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology.