“This report provides an analysis of the influence of international oil corporations (IOC’s) on the economic, political and social framework of oil dependent countries. This issue is particularly topical because of recent off shore oil discoveries and the probability that West Africa’s frontier countries, such as Senegal, Sierra Leone and Sao Tome and Principe, in the Joint Development Zone and other countries such as Guinea Bissau could also become “hot” exploration areas in the next decade.”