Newsgroup: it.politica.internazionale
Titolo: L'impero esporta la sua miglior cultura imprenditoriale in Africa

un must read....
Bye
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/business/2684411
Corrupt influence by Big Oil alleged
Senate panel uncovers deals in West Africa
By DAVID IVANOVICH
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle
WASHINGTON - Senate investigators say three U.S. oil companies may have
"contributed to corrupt practices" while doing business in the West African
country of Equatorial Guinea. 
Examining possible money laundering at Washington's Riggs Bank, the
investigators uncovered information about questionable business dealings
involving Exxon Mobil Corp., Marathon Oil Co. and Amerada Hess Corp. in that
oil-rich land.
Staffers on the Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations pointed to
arrangements between the oil companies and entities controlled by the family of
President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, as well as to scholarships doled out to
relatives of the country's elite.
Sen. Carl Levin, the ranking Democrat on the panel, questioned whether the oil
companies are doing enough to ensure they aren't helping corrupt government
leaders loot Equatorial Guinea of its oil patrimony.
"You're now in a situation where you are basically in with either the dictator
or his family," Levin said. "It seems to me that as Americans we've got to be
troubled by that."
The oil executives contended their transactions were legal and as transparent as
possible.
Andrew Swiger, executive vice president for Exxon Mobil Production Co. in
Houston, hinted about what it's really like to try to do business in parts of
sub-Saharan Africa.
"It may be virtually impossible to do business in such countries without doing
business with a government official or a close relative of a government
official," Swiger said.
But he added: "It is still possible 鈥" indeed, it is expected 鈥" that we do
business ethically and comply with all U.S. and local laws."
Huge oil deposits
Equatorial Guinea has captured the imagination of a U.S. oil industry hungry for
oil deposits outside the Middle East. 
With oil reserves estimated at 1.1 billion barrels, Equatorial Guinea has
quickly emerged as the third-largest oil producing nation in sub-Saharan Africa.
Marathon is already the country's largest employer.
But the Senate investigators discovered a number of eyebrow-raising arrangements
there.
Amerada Hess, for instance, paid more than $450,000 over four years to rent
office space controlled by the president's 14-year-old son.
Exxon Mobil is partners with the president's wife in an oil distribution
business.
And Marathon, after purchasing CMS Energy's assets in the country, has learned
it may be partners with, not a state-owned company,but an entity controlled
byObiang.
Oil companies working in Equatorial Guinea are required, as part of their oil
production contracts, to help send students abroad to study.
Reducing the potential
The oil companies have tried to take steps to reduce thepotential for corruption
when working in Equatorial Guinea. 
At Amerada Hess, employees in the country can grant an initial authorization for
payments. But any such payments "must also be sanctioned by higher management in
Houston," Albert Marchetti, the company's vice president for international and
federal relations, told the panel.
Steven Guidry, leader of Marathon's Central Africa Business Unit, argued that
his company's presence in the country "goes a great distance toward improving
conditions.
"To the extent that we have influence, we think we have a positive effect,"
Guidrysaid.
The Senate panel has no plans at this point to refer its findings about the oil
companies to the Justice Department. Indeed, officials at both Exxon Mobil and
Marathon said they knew of no other investigations by other authorities looking
into these issues.
While they may have brought to light some embarrassing details, the Senate
investigators provided no evidence the oil companies engaged in a quid pro quo
to win contracts or gain other benefits, a key test for any potential violation
of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
Exxon draws criticism
The investigation was conducted by both Democratic and Republican staffers. 
Levin, the panel's ranking Democrat, complimented Marathon and Amerada Hess for
their cooperation with the investigation.
"Exxon Mobil, I'm afraid, has not been as forthcoming," Levin said.
Exxon's Swiger promised his company would produce what it can as soon as
practicable.
Corruption and financial transparency have become major issues for the oil
industry as it plows billions of dollars into areas like West Africa, a region
impoverished and still largely unused to the rule of law.
Two Houston-based oil-field service firms, Halliburton Co. and, most recently,
ABB Vetco Gray, have admitted to making improper payments in Nigeria.
At Riggs Bank, Equatorial Guinea's top leaders deposited more than $700 million.
The bank's one-time senior international banking manager, Simon Kareri, who
handled the Equatorial Guinea business, invoked his Fifth Amendment right
against self-incrimination and refused to testify at the hearing.

 country of Equatorial Guinea. 
scusa, ma non capisco lo scopo del tuo post.
Sei sorpreso che ci sia corruzione, quando gli interessi sono cosi` enormi?
O stai insinuando che le compagnie americane agiscono in maniera piu` sleale di
quelle europee, cinesi o russe?
Stai cercando di dimostrare che il capitalismo crea automaticamente disonesta`
nel business?
La cultura imprenditoriale americana a volte fa faville e a volte fa schifo. 
E allora? 
ripeto, non capisco.
Mizzica, almeno gli investigatori del Senato li abbiamo ( per adesso).
salutoni
-----------------------------------------
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 nel business?
#_Credo proprio di si.
Tutti i bei presupposti di concorrenza leale nel mercato si vanno a far
benedire presto.Tutto cio` che avviene sotto il sole ed e` legato ad un
sistema sorretto dal denaro, prima o poi e` soggetto alle varie
sfaccettature dell'azione umana e, per sopravvivere, deve passare per la
disonesta`fino alla corruzione; la concorrenza onesta in una competizione,
non esiste piu`ed e`destinata a perire lungo il cammino. Questo non
e`pessimismo preconcetto ed anche se semplicistico, purtroppo e`cosi`.Su
questa strada tutte le compagnie ( europee, russe, cinesi....vaticane o
monegasche) usano gli stessi metodi senza risparmio di colpi...e tra tutte
prevale infine quella che e`appoggiata dal governo piu`influente e
coll'esercito piu`forte.
Il tema del discorso meriterebbe una critica piu`ampia , ma il sunto
e`questo.
U.S.McD
---
Che il cielo ci salvi dalla MacDonald !

 salutoni
Bye

 Interessante,
certo, leggi questo articolo del NY Times che ti spiega la pratica degli
Offsets, per esempio. Piu` grigia di cosi`.....
http://www.globalpolicy.org/nations/launder/regions/2003/0216offsets.htm
ormai nel business puoi tranquillamente buttar via il passaporto.
Solo gli ingenui credono che le compagnie europee, cinesi o russe siano "
diverse" da quelle americane.
Aldila` del grado di corruzione dei vari paesi ( questo sarebbe piu` utile
esaminare, invece di un post su un episodio), imporre il proprio sistema con la
forza e` sempre sbagliato e sono d`accordo con te su questo.
ciao


 ciao
P.S. Namib, se ci sei batti un colpo, la mia proposta 52 post per
convertirti al liberismo e poi chiudo e' sempre valida ;-) - fammi
sapere.