A United Nations human rights expert has called on TotalEnergies to urgently respond to allegations of abuse tied to its East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), just ahead of the French energy giant’s annual shareholder meeting.
Michel Forst, the UN Special Rapporteur on environmental defenders, issued a statement Thursday urging the company to take immediate steps to protect protesters and activists associated with the pipeline and related oilfields in Uganda.
The call came after German asset manager Union Investment announced it had removed TotalEnergies’ shares and bonds from its sustainable investment funds. The decision followed a report from the NGO Just Finance International, which alleged rights violations at Uganda’s Kingfisher oil site.
“Forst said TotalEnergies had ‘failed to take effective steps addressing these abuses’ and criticized the company for dismissing the claims as ‘misconceptions.’ He described this stance as ‘deeply troubling.’”
He also reminded the company of its obligations under the Aarhus Convention, which prohibits retaliation against individuals opposing environmental projects.
TotalEnergies responded Friday, saying it does not tolerate “threats or violence” against human rights defenders and emphasized that it works with Ugandan authorities to ensure due process and humane treatment of detained protesters. It said its local security teams monitor detainees’ welfare and ensure access to legal representatives.
Forst endorsed Union Investment’s call for an independent investigation into the reported abuses, adding that TotalEnergies must publish the findings and take corrective action. He also urged the firm to use its influence to prevent further harassment.
