Abuja: A coalition of civil society organisations has urged ECOWAS, the African Union, and governments across Africa to prioritise local livelihoods, environmental protection, and food sovereignty in investment agreements with multinational companies. They made the call in an interview with newsmen on the sidelines of a rally on food sovereignty and ecological justice in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Mrs Joyce Brown, Programmes Director of the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), stressed that governments must look beyond the financial value of foreign investments and consider their potential impact on local economies and communities. Brown emphasized the importance of evaluating how proposed investments by global business giants could affect smaller businesses and local production.
‘It is important that our government looks critically at foreign investment. We must look beyond the financial statements and figures to how our local economies will be affected,’ she said. Brown highlighted the need for governments and regional bodies to establish policies and structures to ensure that local producers can maintain sustainable livelihoods despite the presence of multinational companies. She called for environmental and social impact assessments to be conducted before approving such investments.
Brown urged ECOWAS, AU, and other regional institutions to collaborate with national governments to develop policies preventing multinational corporations from exerting undue influence that could disadvantage local communities and food producers. She warned that allowing investments without adequate accountability and transparency could have implications for sovereignty across Africa.
Mrs Mariann Bassey-Olsson, Executive Director of Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), stated that the CSOs were not opposed to foreign investment but insisted that such investments must protect public interests. She argued that investments should not be evaluated solely on jobs, infrastructure, and economic growth but also on their social and environmental impact.
Bassey-Olsson demanded that the terms of the Memorandum of Understandings (MoU) be disclosed for public scrutiny and stakeholder input. ‘We want to know what the terms of investments are, what land size will be required, and if environmental impact assessment has been done, in addition to the consequences in water, land, and other resources,’ she said. She emphasized that transparency is not a sign of opposition to investment but is necessary to establish the legitimacy and public value of the project.
Bassey-Olsson also expressed concern about the environmental effects that large-scale investments could have on resources in neighboring countries. She urged African governments to ensure that locals and indigenous livelihoods are not marginalized as multinational companies expand across the continent. She stressed that this issue should be addressed as a continental concern, as developments in one African country could influence investment and food-system policies in others.