Oilwatch Africa is a network of resistance to the impacts of fossil fuels (oil, gas and coal) industries on people’s and their environments. It is the African unit of Oilwatch International.

Oilwatch’s creation was inspired by the need to develop global strategies for the communities affected by oil activities, support their resistance processes, and work for sustainability and collective rights. We facilitate the exchange of information on oil activities in each country, the different resistance movements and the international campaigns against specific companies.

Our Principles

Halt the expansion

Oilwatch aims to stop the expansion of fossil fuel activities that are degrading to the environment

Network of Resistance

We are a network of resisitance to the negative impacts of the fossil fuels industry

Solidarity in diversity

We build solidarity and promote a common identity in the peoples of the south

Self determination

We recognise people’s rights to self-determination as one of the main solutions to environmental problems

Network of Support

The network exists to support the independent monitoring of the devastations and violations of fossil fuel activities.

Decentralization

Oilwatch works as a movement, allowing us to combine our energies and preserve our identity

Local Action

Our members act at the local level and join together at the international level to protect the environment

Debate

Oilwatch promotes the debate on issues around oil activities such as human rights, climate change, etc.

Moratorium

We promote moratoriums to new projects of hydrocarbons extraction

Our Members

Oilwatch was created on February 1996 in Quito, Ecuador with the presence of 15 organizations from the following countries: Nigeria, South Africa, Cameroon, Gabon, Thailand, Sri Lanka, East Timor, Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, Colombia and Brazil.

Now, the network has members in over fifty countries around the world. National and regional networks have been created in Africa, Asia and Latin America and it also has organisations in the global North to support its activities.

How to be a part of the network

NGOs, Networks of NGOs, organizations or individuals interested in working in a network of resistance to oil activities, following the impacts of oil comapnies at the local and global level and developing campaigns against these companies can be part of Oilwatch. To be a part of the network, the interested party should agree with the principles and strategies of the network and could ask for a membership to the focal point of their home country, to the regional office or the Secretariat through a formal letter that points out their fields of work, email, telephone and fax to the following address:

OILWATCH SECRETARIAT

contact@oilwatch.org