TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanńe has declined an invitation from the European Union (EU) Parliament to defend his company in response to concerns about the Uganda-Tanzania oil pipeline.
In his rejection letter, Pouyanńe stated that the EU Parliament should have contacted TotalEnergies to defend itself before passing last month’s resolution, which he claims has harmed the company and its 105,000 employees.
He cited an example in which the EU stated in its resolution that the Uganda-Tanzania oil pipeline project would displace 100,000 people, claiming that this is false and that they should have invited experts to provide them with facts before embarrassing the French energy giants who own at least 68 percent of the pipeline project.
Pouyanńe also argued that the EU inviting him to defend TotalEnergies after a decision had already been made, and for only eight minutes as indicated in his invitation, does not correct the situation, and he will therefore not attend.
The EU parliament in Brussels proposed last month that the Uganda-Tanzania oil pipeline project should be postponed until TotalEnergies and the governments involved address environmental and human rights issues around the project.
