Extractive Industries and Evictions: Echoes from Middle- East and African Regions

The presence of natural resources in any country is expected to contribute to the economies of that country and region. It is also expected that the lives of the people in and around the region should be impacted in a positive way from the proceeds and development accruing from the extraction of such natural resources.

In Africa and indeed most developing countries, the story is different as the activities of extractive industries have brought untold hardships to the lives of the local communities in and around the region where these extractive and mining industries operate. While the operators of extractive and mining industries smile to the bank and live a high profile life, the communities from which the natural resources are extracted live in penury, abject poverty and are homeless.

The objective of the Networking event is to highlight the struggle, experiences and new challenges faced by African communities as a result of activities of extractive industries. The event is about the impact of the extractive industries on evictions and human rights violations. These violations are not just violations of substantive rights but also procedural rights such as the right to consultation, participation and informed consent.

The event will also be looking at other impacts of extractive and mining industries on the environment, community ownership of land, soc-economic, health and the impact on women, youths and the Sustainable Development Goals.

The event will discussed sustainable solutions including, building the institutional capacity of local communities and community empowerment.

It is expected that the outcome of this networking event will contribute to the implementation of the New Urban Agenda