Mid-term evaluation of Naturvernforbundet’s Oilwatch Africa programme

Background:
In Naturvernforbundet’s Oilwatch Africa programme Nigeria is the main country, where Naturvernforbundet cooperates with Environmental Rights Action (ERA). A regional network called Oilwatch Africa (OWA) is also part of the programme with member organizations in more than 10 African countries. ERA runs the secretariat and is the driving force, while the member organizations in Ghana, Uganda and South Africa are other main actors in the network.

The programme objective is that an alliance of environmental organizations and local communities achieves changes that give better protection of the environment and livelihoods from fossil fuels activities.

The organizations collaborate with local communities to influence the creation and enactment of legal and policy frameworks that protect the environment and peoples’ livelihood. Information is continuously disseminated on livelihood assaults and impacts of petroleum activities. Alliances between affected communities are built in each country and between countries. The campaign “Leave the oil in the soil” is a prominent part of the programme.

Purpose/objective:
Purpose:
To be able to make improvements within the programme for the rest of the five-years’ period of 2012-2016

Objectives:
Identify the achievements so far in relation to the outcome, outputs and select indicators in the original five-year’ programme plan; identify the most important learning points; and give recommendations to improve relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, impact, and sustainability of the programme.

Methodology:
The evaluation  involved review of relevant documents (such as annual reports, programme reports and newsletters) supplied by Naturvernforbundet and member organizations of the Oilwatch Africa Programme; interviews with staff  members of partner  organizations, local community people, representatives of government bodies, oil companies and other important stakeholders such as journalists.  As well, it involved field visits to programme areas in Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania, and Ghana.

Key findings:
- Influencing international processes in order to check harmful practices and policies of corporations and governments is a crucial part of OWA’s mandate. So far it has made considerable progress. During the period under review, OWA established contact with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Such link was lacking prior. Meanwhile there exist opportunities for constructive and environmentally useful engagements, for example with the African Union, SADC, ECOWAS and multilateral institutions like the World Bank. Partners are yet to take full advantage of these opportunities.

- Oilwatch Africa main member countries recorded varied levels of successes in terms of changes within the period under review. This was noticed in the intensity of alliances challenging energy extractive companies and governments over oil and mining-related environmental, social, economic, livelihoods and political problems. OWA made impressive progress in ensuring local participation in environmental impact assessment processes and joint investigative visits, which serve the interest of the environment and livelihoods.  Now community leaders in Calaba and Ikarama in Nigeria can alone demand inclusion or participation in these processes whenever they feel denied.  This means that they have been strengthened to challenge oil companies over oil related environmental issues and deprivations.  Although this is happening to a limited extent, and with little good results, the improvement is worthy of note.

- Access to information from oil companies and governments has improved.  Among member organisations, the huge cost of generating information did not hinder access.  Instead, information sharing, especially on oil spill matters improved with increased capacity of local communities under the Host Community Network strategy (HoCon). However, this has not happened across the board as the situation in Tanzania and Uganda shows that the rate of access to information from the government and oil companies is much slower.

Recommendations:
- Strengthen OWA with more resources and capacity building for better engagement with policy and political decision makers at the regional and global multilateral fronts. At least, two workshops should be organised to address these issues. Existing contacts with regional bodies such as ECOWAS, SADC, African Union and so on should be utilised for a more elaborate   policy influence work. Avenues for engagement with multilateral intuitions like the World Bank in pursuit of environmental protection and protection of livelihoods should be creatively sought.

- Innovation or creativity is required to make OWA more responsive to problems associated with the petroleum industry, livelihoods, and environment.

- OWA network members without resources for effective mobilisation of communities affected by fossil fuel energy extraction activities and use should   be assisted to reach out better.  This could be achieved through regular joint activities at national, regional, and global levels.

- Strengthen collective advocacy at regional and international fronts by encouraging joint campaigns and declarations. National partner organisations with capacity can be encouraged to lead this process by engaging more with energy issues globally.

- OWA needs solidarity from similar groups in their resistance against fossil fuel energy related issues in parts of Africa.

- Support new members like LEAT in Tanzania to be more effective. Tanzania remains a fertile ground for engagements with government and oil and gas companies.

- OWA Secretariat should ensure early completion of annual reports, as well as yearly detailed plans for specific countries.  This will be important for Naturvernforbundet to plan its own work.

- OWA Secretariat can publish a quarterly newsletter to highlight activities of members of the network and for sharing relevant information.

- Focus more on policy advocacy at national, regional and international levels. Partner organisations should proceed from the national to the regional before international.

Comments from the organisation:
None.