Amid Oil Pipeline Controversy, Edelman Breaks With South Africa's Standard Bank Group

The PR giant refused to offer reputation management services surrounding the project, according to local news reports

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Edelman will end its three-year relationship with South Africa’s Standard Bank Group, the public relations giant confirmed to Adweek.

The breakup comes amid a longstanding controversy surrounding Standard Bank’s investment in the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), a joint venture between TotalEnergies, the China National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC) and the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation.

Standard Bank was an early funder of EACOP. The financial services company paused its involvement last spring under pressure from activists and pending an environmental assessment of the project, according to local news reports.

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