27 November 2014: Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum Resources convened a stakeholder meeting to advance remediation activities in Ogoniland, Nigeria, regarding the extensive oil contamination in the area. According to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), which facilitated the meeting, it represented a “pivotal moment” for the clean-up of Ogoniland. UNEP’s 2011 ‘Environmental Assessment of Ogoniland’ called for enacting emergency measures to combat immediate harm to communities from the pollution of drinking water, and for an initial funding of US$1 billion for environmental clean-up.

The stakeholder meeting convened in Geneva, Switzerland, from 24-25 November 2014. Technical working groups addressed issues related to local livelihoods, fund management, procurement, community engagement as well as technical aspects of the required environmental remediation.

Following the stakeholder meeting, UNEP called for clear timetables and targets to be articulated as soon as possible, as further delay on the clean-up will “cause the pollution footprint to expand” and undermine Ogoni communities’ livelihoods.

UNEP says the meeting was open, inclusive and transparent, ensuring that the voices of the Ogoni people, as well as the Government of Nigeria and oil companies, were heard. In addition to UNEP, representatives of the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), and the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) participated in the workshop. [UNEP Press Release] [Publication: Environmental Assessment of Ogoniland]