Professor Yates Participates in Chatham House Conference in UK

Tuesday, 22 November 2011

On November 16th, Professor Douglas Yates participated in a one-day conference on "Oil, Politics and Africa" organized by Chatham House (the British Royal Institute of International Affairs) and the African Studies Centre at Coventry University (UK). This conference examined current government, NGO and academic thinking on oil and gas production in Sub-Saharan Africa and how oil companies, governments and NGOs can use Africa's oil riches to enhance development and reduce poverty.

Left to Right: Jimmy Ahmed (Shell Nigeria), Ian Gary (Oxfam), Alex Vines OBE (Chatham House), Simon Massey (Coventry University)Professor Yates's presentation was part of a panel on "Resolving Governance Challenges". Yates focused on solutions to the "oil curse" that affects African and other oil-rich countries, as had been discussed by, among other specialists on the topic, former British Minister of Cooperation Claire Short, Chatham House's Nick Shaxson, Oxfam's Ian Gary, and Ricardo Soares de Oliveira from Oxford University.

"This was a particularly interesting conference because it was policy-oriented, that is it was designed to shape international governance initiatives such as the 'Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative' and 'Publish What You Pay'. The participation of two major actors of the world oil industry, Shell and Tullow Oil, ensured a lively debate. I offered five solutions: combating corruption, investing oil revenues in social development, direct distribution of oil revenues to the people, boycotting african oil, and, finally, stopping our own oil consumption. The last is the only solution that will really work."

See Conference Program

See Chatham House Website and Coventry University's African Studies Centre Website

 
Bookmark and Share

Contact Us

For any questions,
please email us at info@ags.edu
or use the form below.

Send

Ryan MillsUnited States
Study Abroad in Paris
Fall 2015 

quote leftFrom current issues in the Middle East taught together by an Iranian historian and an Israelli journalist, to NGO management taught by the director of Human Rights Watch in France, every class was fascinating and taught by some of the most impressive people I could ever have imagined. I immediately felt at home in this small but active AGS community because, although students and professors are all from different parts of the world, everyone takes the time to understand each other's perspective. Overall, I would recommend AGS to anyone with a thirst for intellectual stimulation and a drive to not only understand the world of international relations, but engage in it..quote right

©American Graduate School In Paris 2025 - All Rights Reserved. Etablissement Privé d'Enseignement Supérieur
Web Design by THAT Agency