NGOs Call for Withdrawal of Funding from TotalEnergies LNG Project Amid Allegations
Over 100 NGOs urge financial institutions to reconsider funding amid serious human rights allegations in Mozambique.
A coalition of more than 100 non-governmental organizations has urged private banks and public lending entities to cease funding a liquefied natural gas (LNG) project by French energy company TotalEnergies in Mozambique.
This appeal follows an investigative report by POLITICO detailing severe human rights allegations linked to the gas facility under construction.
The NGOs' open letter, published on Wednesday, highlights accusations that a Mozambican military unit, associated with the site, detained a group of 180 to 250 individuals in containers at the project's gatehouse for three months.
Testimonies from survivors and witnesses suggest that a majority of these people did not survive the ordeal due to conditions including suffocation, beatings, and shootings.
POLITICO's report documents 97 individuals as victims, raising international concerns over the human rights implications of the project.
Among the organizations calling for action are Friends of the Earth, ActionAid, and Greenpeace France.
The open letter questions TotalEnergies’ response to the allegations and asks if the company's inability to find corroborating evidence might reflect on its capability to prevent such abuses.
The letter has been distributed to about 30 financial institutions, including Crédit Agricole, JP Morgan, and UK Export Finance.
Subsequent to the letter’s release, responses from financial backers did not indicate an intention to withdraw financial support for the project, nor was there an expressed endorsement for an independent investigation.
Société Générale cited confidentiality restrictions and contractual obligations.
In response, the NGOs are advocating for an independent investigation into the alleged human rights violations by an intergovernmental body.
Mozambican local authorities have shown support for an unbiased and transparent inquiry.
TotalEnergies’ CEO, Patrick Pouyanné, announced plans to resume the LNG project, temporarily on hold, emphasizing continued backing from most financial partners despite the ongoing allegations.
The explicit request from the NGOs is for financial institutions to reconsider their involvement in light of the serious allegations.
The controversy surrounding the project underscores the complex issues of security, human rights, and environmental impact, with ongoing discussions and investigations likely to influence stakeholder decisions in the forthcoming period.
This appeal follows an investigative report by POLITICO detailing severe human rights allegations linked to the gas facility under construction.
The NGOs' open letter, published on Wednesday, highlights accusations that a Mozambican military unit, associated with the site, detained a group of 180 to 250 individuals in containers at the project's gatehouse for three months.
Testimonies from survivors and witnesses suggest that a majority of these people did not survive the ordeal due to conditions including suffocation, beatings, and shootings.
POLITICO's report documents 97 individuals as victims, raising international concerns over the human rights implications of the project.
Among the organizations calling for action are Friends of the Earth, ActionAid, and Greenpeace France.
The open letter questions TotalEnergies’ response to the allegations and asks if the company's inability to find corroborating evidence might reflect on its capability to prevent such abuses.
The letter has been distributed to about 30 financial institutions, including Crédit Agricole, JP Morgan, and UK Export Finance.
Subsequent to the letter’s release, responses from financial backers did not indicate an intention to withdraw financial support for the project, nor was there an expressed endorsement for an independent investigation.
Société Générale cited confidentiality restrictions and contractual obligations.
In response, the NGOs are advocating for an independent investigation into the alleged human rights violations by an intergovernmental body.
Mozambican local authorities have shown support for an unbiased and transparent inquiry.
TotalEnergies’ CEO, Patrick Pouyanné, announced plans to resume the LNG project, temporarily on hold, emphasizing continued backing from most financial partners despite the ongoing allegations.
The explicit request from the NGOs is for financial institutions to reconsider their involvement in light of the serious allegations.
The controversy surrounding the project underscores the complex issues of security, human rights, and environmental impact, with ongoing discussions and investigations likely to influence stakeholder decisions in the forthcoming period.
