The activity was organized by Corporate Accountability International and Friends of the Earth International.

While official negotiations were starting at the Palais des Nations towards a binding treaty on transnational corporations and human rights, the side event organizers explained why it is important to protect such international negotiations and the new treaty from corporate political interference.

In this context, the Chair of CESTA – Friends of the Earth El Salvador, Ricardo Navarro, made reference to the legal case of tobacco company Philip Morris International against Uruguay before the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). Meanwhile, el Executive Director at Environmental Rights Action – Friends of the Earth Nigeria, Godwin Ojo, said that national laws are simply not enough to hold TNCs accountable for their human rights violations. This is why an international binding treaty on the issue is necessary, he said. Ojo made reference to the case of Shell in Nigeria.