On July 17, 2009 in Washington, D.C. EG Justice, the Publish What You Pay Coalition, and Oxfam America cosponsored a roundtable discussion of Human Rights Watch’s new report, Well Oiled: Oil and Human Rights in Equatorial Guinea, and EG Justice’s policy recommendations for the Obama Administration, Transparency and Accountability in Equatorial Guinea.

EG Justice’s Executive Director, Tutu Alicante, provided the opening remarks in which he asserted the objective of the EG Policy Forum as a platform for exchange of ideas, analysis, and discussion of contemporary issues affecting Equatorial Guinea.

Arvind Ganesan, Director of Business and Human Rights at Human Rights Watch, presented an overview of Human Right Watch’s report on Equatorial Guinea.

Bennett Freeman, Chair of EG Justice’s Board of Directors, presented EG Justice’s Policy Recommendations to the Obama Administration and spoke of the timeliness of Human Rights Watch’s report and the need for a fresh approach to Equatorial Guinea.

The presentations were followed by a discussion with the participants, moderated by Ian Gary, Senior Policy Advisor of the Extractive Industries program at Oxfam America. Participants included experts and representatives from: the US Embassy in Equatorial Guinea, US Department of State, US Congressional Foreign Affairs Committee, Hess Corporation, Exxon Mobil, Marathon, Chevron Corporation, Shell Oil, Human Rights Watch, Center for Strategic International Studies, EarthRights International, International Budget Partnership, Institute for Policy Studies, National Democratic Institute, National Endowment for Democracy, Open Society Justice Initiative, Global Witness, the Robert F. Kennedy Center, Calvert Investments, Howard University, Georgetown University, and the University of Florida.