NDI - Transparency and Good Governance in African Extractive Industries

In Burkina Faso, Legislators Emphasize Mining Oversight

fgalleto — Tue, 08 May 2012 21:02:48 +0000

Burkina Faso, one of the world’s poorest countries, has turned to gold exports as a way to boost its economy. It doubled gold production from 2009 to 2010 and launched two more mining projects late last year. These developments have created new jobs and other financial benefits, but have also raised some of the concerns that have plagued mining operations in other countries, such as environmental degradation or exploitation of workers.

As mining becomes central to the Burkinabe economy, oversight by the nation’s parliament is a crucial tool in avoiding these problems. To that end, a delegation of members of parliament (MPs) recently visited the Mana gold mine, one of seven industrial mines in Burkina Faso, located 125 miles west of the capital, Ouagadougou. The visiting MPs were members of the Network of Burkinabe Parliamentarians in the Fight Against Corruption (Burkindi), an informal, multiparty network of lawmakers that has been working since 2008 to prevent corruption. They were accompanied by representatives from government ministries and journalists. The site visit was organized by NDI.

Members of Burkindi visit the Mana gold mine.

The delegation visited the open-pit mine, as well as an exploration site, where miners are searching for new gold deposits; the mine laboratory, which tests samples to determine the quality of the gold; and the site where mine waste, such as used water and gold residue, is dumped. The mine director said that measures are taken to preserve the environment, including regular tests of the wastewater and the local water supply to limit pollution and monitor contamination. MPs interviewed mine officials about the impact of the open-air dump on the health of citizens and discussed concerns about the social impact of the mine, including its ability to create jobs for young people.

The delegation also met with citizens of Bana, the surrounding town. Residents hailed the jobs created by the mine, which has employed 564 people — 167 of them local — since its opening in 2008. But they also shared grievances, saying that the mine is not hiring as many young people as residents had hoped. Citizens also said that since the mine was built on what had been viable farmland, the nearby village of Somona was suffering from a shortage of arable land and needed the mine to create more jobs to help village residents. MPs took note of these complaints and will investigate them further.

The coordinator of Burkindi, Maurice Dieudonné Bonanet, said the MPs will provide recommendations to the mining company and the government based on what they learned from the site visit. The MPs will continue to monitor the situation as the mining company works to address the grievances voiced by citizens, according to Alfred Sanou, an MP from the ruling party in Houet province.

NDI has worked with governments throughout Africa since 2008 to improve transparency and government oversight of extractive industries. In 2008 the Institute published Transparency and Accountability in Africa’s Extractive Industries: The Role of the Legislature and followed by The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Guide for Legislators: How to Support and Strengthen Resource Transparency in 2009 to help African lawmakers as they work to curb corruption and increase transparency in the mining industry.

Related:

Published May 8, 2012

Sierra Leone: Constituency Outreach: A Guide for Members of Parliament

fgalleto — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 20:36:41 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

08/18/2004

Resource Type:

Manual|Handbook

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the manual	374.77 KB

East African Legislators Adopt Recommendations for Improving Accountability and Transparency in Region’s Extractive Industries

fgalleto — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 17:18:36 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

04/10/2008

Resource Type:

Press Release

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the release	284.95 KB

Guide for Legislators Provides Tools for Promoting Extractive Industry Transparency

fgalleto — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 19:38:34 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

03/03/2009

Resource Type:

Press Release

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the release	113.16 KB

NDI E-news: Extractive Industries, Iraq, Liberia | March 2009

fgalleto — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:40:47 +0000

March 2009

The Role of Legislators in Extractive Industry Transparency

A global initiative aimed at promoting transparency and accountability in the disposition of oil, gas and mineral resources is currently underway in 26 countries. But this global effort – the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) – has yet to include an explicit role for legislators even though they must safeguard citizens’ interests, oversee national extractive industry policies and hold governments to account.

Work on EITI is part of NDI’s ongoing effort to help nascent democratic institutions improve standards of living for citizens. The Institute’s latest initiative is a new publication, EITI Guide for Legislators: How to Support and Strengthen Resource Transparency, that focuses on the critical role lawmakers can play in stemming the frequent misuse and mismanagement of revenues from oil, gas and mining.

To mark the release of the guide, NDI Vice President Shari Bryan participated in a panel discussion on the role of legislators in the EITI process that was part of a global conference on the subject in Doha, Qatar.

NDI Worked with Candidates Seeking Iraqi Provincial Council Seats

In advance of Jan. 31 provincial elections in Iraq, nearly 1,000 candidates took part in NDI training programs on campaign skills such as messaging and get-out-the-vote strategies.

Twelve percent of the candidates trained by NDI were elected to office and now represent 20 percent of the membership of provincial councils.

Liberian Legislature Program Helps Bring Democracy to the People

Alexander Chavarria, NDI’s resident director in Liberia, discusses an Institute program designed to help Liberian lawmakers communicate more effectively with their constituents.

NDI Website Features News, Commentary on Democracy Assistance

To help illuminate the ongoing global dialogue on democracy assistance, NDI’s new website features news, commentary and scholarly research on the subject along with an easily accessible library of key documents upon which democracy programs are based.

Iran Election Bulletin Focuses on Run-up to June Election

NDI, in partnership with The
Century Foundation, has launched a new publication with analysis and
information on the domestic political debate in href="http://www.ndi.org/content/iran" >Iran as
the Republic prepares for June presidential elections.

New Report on Pakistan’s Tribal Areas Details Urgent Need for Democratic Rule

Unrest in Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) threatens global security and underscores the urgency of establishing a democratic and constitutional system of governance there, a new report concludes.

NDI Supports Salvadoran Partners’ Efforts to Promote Election Transparency

Recent highly competitive legislative elections in El Salvador have altered the balance of political power and foreshadow a vigorous two-party presidential contest March 15. NDI is supporting pre-election and nationwide election day observation by its Salvadoran partners.

Initial findings from Jan. 18 legislative elections »

Preview of March 15 presidential election »

The National Democratic Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide by promoting citizen participation, openness and accountability in government.

Guide for Legislators on Promoting Extractive Industry Transparency Launched at EITI Conference in Doha

ggreene — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 22:04:10 +0000

To mark the release of a new NDI publication, EITI Guide for Legislators: How to Support and Strengthen Resource Transparency, NDI Vice President Shari Bryan participated in the 4th Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) Global Conference in Doha, Qatar.

To mark the release of a new NDI publication, EITI Guide for Legislators: How to Support and Strengthen Resource Transparency, NDI Vice President Shari Bryan participated in an executive session at the 4th Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) Global Conference, on Feb. 18, in Doha, Qatar. The panel, titled “The Role of Legislators in the EITI Process,” focused on the critical role lawmakers can play in promoting greater transparency and accountability in their countries’ management of oil and mineral revenues. The EITI process – a global standard for reconciling and publishing company payments and government receipts from oil, gas and mining – is one important tool for legislators to carry out this role through their oversight, lawmaking and representation functions.

The panel was moderated by Cobus de Swardt, Managing Director of Transparency International and included Members of Parliament from Yemen and Kyrgyzstan as well as the Cameroonian Minister of Finance and the chairman of the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC).

The guide, produced in partnership with Revenue Watch Institute (RWI) and with funding from the EITI Secretariat and USAID, provides practical examples and suggestions for legislators to strengthen transparency and accountability in their country’s extractive industries through the EITI process.

Read the EITI Guide for Legislators | English | Arabic | French »
Press release: “Guide for Legislators Provides Tools for Promoting Extractive Industry Transparency” | Read the press release »
Related: “NDI Supports East African MPs’ Efforts to Improve Mining Sector Oversight,” March 12, 2009 | Read article »

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Updated on March 12, 2009

EITI Guide for Legislators: How to Support and Strengthen Resource Transparency

ggreene — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 20:08:13 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

05/25/2009

Resource Type:

Manual|Handbook

Language:

English, Arabic, French, Bahasa

Media Type:

PDF

Legislatures have a critical role to play in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). This guide provides legislators with information about the EITI process and offers practical suggestions for them to encourage the government to participate and ensure that the EITI program is successful. It is designed primarily for legislators and their staff, but political leaders, government officials, civil society organizations and international actors may also find it helpful.

Note: The first link below connects to the English-language version of this publication. The second link below connects to the Arabic version. The third link below connects to the French version. The fourth link connects to the Indonesian version.

English

Arabic

French

Indonesian

Attachment	Size
EITI Guidelines for Legislators (English)	2.56 MB
EITI Guidelines for Legislators (Arabic)	3.46 MB
EITI Guidelines for Legislators (French)	2.71 MB
EITI Guidelines for Legislators (Bahasa)	5.12 MB

NDI Supports East African MPs’ Efforts to Improve Mining Sector Oversight

jbowen — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 23:40:36 +0000

To enhance their understanding of mining policy issues, a group of East African legislators visited diamond and gold mines in Tanzania recently as part of an effort to improve legislative oversight of extractive industries. NDI helped arrange the visit and created background materials on the issues for the lawmakers.

To enrich their understanding of mining policy issues, a group of East African legislators visited diamond and gold mines in Tanzania recently as part of an effort to improve legislative oversight of extractive industries. NDI helped arrange the visit and created background materials on the issues for the lawmakers.

During the three-day trip – to the Shinyanga, Kahama, and Mwanza districts in northeastern Tanzania – the 14 parliamentarians visited with industry operators from the El Hillal diamond mine and the Bulyanhulu and Geita gold mines and consulted with local district government officials as well as civil society organizations based around the mines. The legislators were from the Inter Parliamentarian Relations Committee on Natural Resources of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA).

NDI has been working with legislators on extractive industry oversight since 2005, when it began work on a nine-country survey report, Transparency and Accountability in Africa’s Extractive Industries: The Role of the Legislature, published in 2007. The goal of NDI’s program is to promote legislative engagement in extractive industry oversight in Africa and to improve cooperation and coordination among legislatures, civil society, governments, and industry to ensure that citizens’ interests are represented in the dispersal of their countries’ natural resources.

During the November fact-finding visit, the legislators examined where resources were going, how revenues were managed, the environmental impact of mining, social and development programs for employees, and industry standards as well as potential reforms that might be needed.

The Inter Parliamentarian Committee was established to implement a resolution to foster cooperation among East African legislatures on the management and oversight of the region’s oil and mineral resources that was drafted by representatives of the East African Legislative Assembly last year with the goal of reversing the role natural resource wealth has traditionally played in fueling conflict and corruption in many African countries.

Recently, two reports on mining – one commissioned by the Tanzanian government, the Bomani Commission report, and A Golden Opportunity, published by a coalition of civil society groups – were released and widely covered in the Tanzanian media. Both identify needed mining sector reforms. The Bomani report was the first review of the sector that was released to the public and debated by parliament, an indication that political momentum on the topic is growing, creating a potentially increased role for parliament.

The recommendations in the Bomani report provide a framework for improving the government’s ability to manage and oversee the mining sector, promote sustainable development and reduce poverty, increase indigenous expertise in mining, address environmental challenges, increase transparency and accountability in the management of revenue, and address the social and economic challenges facing mining communities.

However, the recommendations in the report do not ascribe a key role to parliament in oversight of the mining sector To fill this gap the Inter Parliamentarian Committee will develop a set of recommendations for the Tanzanian parliament that identify policy issues that parliament would be best positioned to address. The committee will also develop a set of recommendations for the EALA that identify ways it can reinforce, at the regional level, parliamentary engagement on issues raised in the report. NDI is assisting in these tasks. The Inter Parliamentarian Committee resolved to pass legislation to empower local governments in Tanzania to play a greater role in influencing mining policy and pressing for the use of mining revenue for development projects.

Pictured above: East African lawmakers observe mining operations during a site visit in Tanzania.

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Published on March 12, 2009

African Legislatures Work to Promote Extractive Industry Accountability

jbowen — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 19:11:54 +0000

Decades-long misuse and mismanagement of oil and mining revenues have fueled devastating spirals of corruption, conflict and poverty in many resource-rich countries. Some international efforts, such as the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI) and the Publish What You Pay (PWYP) Campaign, are focusing on these problems through partnerships between industry, government and civil society. But many legislatures, particularly in Africa, are not addressing this critical area - despite the lawmaking and oversight responsibilities that make them uniquely placed to do so.

To assess the ability of legislatures to promote transparency and accountability in this key sector, NDI conducted research in nine African countries -- Angola, Botswana, Chad, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and South Africa. NDI reviewed legal and other documents and interviewed members of parliament, ministerial officials, and representatives from the private sector, multilateral agencies, and donor and non-governmental organizations. These activities led to the publication, last August, of Transparency and Accountability in Africa's Extractive Industries: The Role of the Legislature. The report summarizes the challenges legislators face in overseeing oil and mining industries, highlights best practices, and offers recommendations for greater engagement and coordination by legislators, civic groups and the international community.

In February, NDI presented the report's best practices and recommendations to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) at a workshop in Arusha, Tanzania, conducted in partnership with the EALA, the Revenue Watch Institute (RWI) and the Parliamentary Network of the World Bank (PNoWB). The EALA is the independent legislative arm of the East African Community, a regional intergovernmental organization that represents Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. The workshop participants included EALA members and staff; legislators from Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda; industry and legal experts; international representatives; and regional civil society leaders.

Two lively days of deliberations were set against a backdrop of actual events, including ongoing negotiations over the management of oil deposits in Uganda, a government review of Tanzania's mining sector, and the anticipated construction of an oil pipeline between Uganda and Kenya. The workshop ended with the adoption of a 21-point resolution to serve as a blueprint for greater legislative engagement at the regional and national levels in managing industry revenues.

The Institute plans to support the EALA recommendations with technical support for the launch of a regional forum of extractive industry representatives from government, civil society and the private sector; assistance to improve legislation on industry management; and by facilitating contacts between EALA representatives and legislators from EALA member countries with counterparts from countries that have joined the EITI process.

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Published on July 7, 2008

EALA Workshop Summary

jbowen — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 10:49:05 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

02/29/2008

Resource Type:

Report

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the report	77.82 KB

East African Community - East African Legislative Assembly Workshop Resolution

jbowen — Fri, 30 May 2008 13:38:29 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

02/27/2008

Resource Type:

Report

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the report	56.6 KB

Promoting Transparency and Accountability of Revenue of the Extractive Industries: A Workshop for Legislators of the East Africa

jbowen — Fri, 30 May 2008 13:33:53 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

01/01/2008

Resource Type:

Agenda

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the agenda	93.67 KB

Transparency and Good Governance in African Extractive Industries

ggreene — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 15:57:27 +0000

Revenues from oil should spur economic growth and social development in developing countries. In many resource-rich countries in Africa, however, the lack of accountability and transparency in the management of these revenues exacerbates poor governance and often fuels cycles of corruption, conflict, and poverty. As the international community seeks alternatives to Middle Eastern oil and new reserves enter production, Africa’s oil revenues will multiply over the coming decade. A number of analysts believe that economies overly dependent on oil wealth encourage authoritarian rather than democratic forms of governance.

To meet this challenge, civic groups, government reformers and representatives of the international community are increasingly pushing for more accountability and fiscal transparency in a number of sub-Saharan African countries. These reformist groups need specialized tools and knowledge to guard against increased corruption in resource-rich democratic states and to fight authoritarian regimes seeking to further consolidate their power. Effective transparency initiatives must foster cooperation beyond governments and multinational corporations to include the participation of legislative bodies, political parties, civic organizations and the media.

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Current Activities

NDI began its programming in the area of extractive industry (EI) governance in 2005 with research producing its nine-country survey report, Transparency and Accountability in Africa’s Extractive Industries: The Role of the Legislature. The report identified a lack of resources, institutional and structural constraints as the principal stumbling blocks for effective legislative engagement of this key sector. These obstacles prevent the legislature from effectively checking executive branch decision making related to the governance and management of the extractive industries.

Based on the findings and recommendations of the aforementioned report, NDI initiated two pilot programs funded by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) in East Africa and Zambia. Regionally focused, NDI’s key partner in East Africa is the Inter-Parliamentarian Relations Liaison Committee on Natural Resources (IPRLC). Its membership involves regional MPs from the East African Legislative Assembly’s (EALA) natural resource committee, and one MP from each East African Community (EAC) partner state, serving on a mining and oil committee.

Extractive Industries in East Africa

In 2008, the Institute assisted EALA to draft an extractive industry (EI) resolution and establish the IPRLC to implement the resolution. Adopted in May 2008, the resolution contains 21 recommendations designed to assist the five EAC partner states to improve industry governance and management.

From 2008 to 2010, NDI assisted the IPRLC to implement key recommendations focused on oversight and legal analysis. Specifically, the IPRLC conducted site visits to gold and diamond mines and an oil site in Tanzania and Uganda respectively, to identify shortcomings in the governance and management of both industries. The IPRLC used the findings from the site visits to produce regional and country-specific recommendations to address the identified shortcomings. The recommendations were shared with the parliaments of Tanzania and Uganda.

In the area of legal analysis, NDI organized a workshop facilitated by legislative, legal and industry experts including sitting Tanzanian members of parliament (MPs), who guided the IPRLC through the governance and fiscal framework of Tanzania’s 1998 and 2010 Mining Acts. The workshop discussed best practices in mining governance and also provided comparative examples of model mining legislation in Africa.

Through these activities the IPRLC has utilized its position in the region to influence parliaments at the state level to play a more active role in the governance of the extractive sector. For example, the IPRLC’s site visit to Tanzania, and the subsequent recommendations from it motivated the Tanzania Energy and Minerals Committee to undertake a site visit to gold mines in the Northeastern region of Tanzania. Historically, in conducting oversight of the mining sector, the committee does not typically conduct site visits to mines to monitor government’s implementation of mining policy.

In 2011, with follow on funding from the NED, NDI will support the IPRLC to undertake a review of Uganda’s and Rwanda’s natural gas oil legislation respectively. The IPRLC’s review of Tanzania’s mining legislation in 2010 and the legal analysis to be undertaken in 2011, will inform the eventual development of regional standards and benchmarks, such as model legislation, model contracts and corporate social responsibility standards that can be help improve EI governance at the national level.

Extractive Industries in Zambia

In 2009, NDI assisted the Zambia Economic Affairs and Labor, Public Accounts, and Estimates committees to develop a plan that prioritizes strategies for oversight and constituency outreach around the mining sector. It also includes proposals for reforms that were submitted to the National Constitutional Conference (NCC), and the Parliamentary Reforms and Standing Orders committees. The proposals are designed to eliminate structural and institutional constraints that prevent these committees from effectively discharging their authority to check executive branch decision making in the area of mining. For example, the committee plan proposes a revision to parliament’s standing orders to allow MPs to censure a minister for not being responsive to parliament’s requests for specific information that is critical to oversee the implementation of mining policy. Parliament began implementing the plan proposed by the committees in October 2010.

Publications

In 2009, with funding from the United States Agency for International Development, Revenue Watch Institute and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) Secretariat in Oslo, Norway, NDI produced a guide for legislators worldwide to enhance their understanding and implementation of EITI. The guide, titled the EITI Guide for Legislators: How to Support and Strengthen Resource Transparency, provides practical guidance to MPs on using their representation, legislative and oversight functions to effectively consolidate EITI programs in their countries.

Contact Information

For more information about these programs, use our contact form or contact:
Muthoni Kamuyu Ojuolo
Program Officer
Extractive Industries & HIV/AIDS
Southern & Eastern Africa
(202) 728-6348

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NDI 2005 Annual Report

vrao — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 05:00:00 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

12/01/2005

Resource Type:

Report

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the report	6.23 MB

Transparency and Accountability In Africa's Extractive Industries

vrao — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 04:00:00 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

11/25/2008

Resource Type:

Report

Language:

English, French

Note: The first link below connects to the English-langauge version of the article. The second link connects to the French version.

English

French

Attachment	Size
Read the report (English)	1.55 MB
Read the report (French)	939 KB

NDI - Transparency and Good Governance in African Extractive Industries

In Burkina Faso, Legislators Emphasize Mining Oversight

Members of Burkindi visit the Mana gold mine.

Sierra Leone: Constituency Outreach: A Guide for Members of Parliament

East African Legislators Adopt Recommendations for Improving Accountability and Transparency in Region’s Extractive Industries

Guide for Legislators Provides Tools for Promoting Extractive Industry Transparency

NDI E-news: Extractive Industries, Iraq, Liberia | March 2009

March 2009

The Role of Legislators in Extractive Industry Transparency

NDI Worked with Candidates Seeking Iraqi Provincial Council Seats

Liberian Legislature Program Helps Bring Democracy to the People

NDI Website Features News, Commentary on Democracy Assistance

Iran Election Bulletin Focuses on Run-up to June Election

New Report on Pakistan’s Tribal Areas Details Urgent Need for Democratic Rule

NDI Supports Salvadoran Partners’ Efforts to Promote Election Transparency

Guide for Legislators on Promoting Extractive Industry Transparency Launched at EITI Conference in Doha

EITI Guide for Legislators: How to Support and Strengthen Resource Transparency

NDI Supports East African MPs’ Efforts to Improve Mining Sector Oversight

African Legislatures Work to Promote Extractive Industry Accountability

EALA Workshop Summary

East African Community - East African Legislative Assembly Workshop Resolution

Promoting Transparency and Accountability of Revenue of the Extractive Industries: A Workshop for Legislators of the East Africa

Transparency and Good Governance in African Extractive Industries

Read More

Current Activities

Extractive Industries in East Africa

Extractive Industries in Zambia

Publications

Contact Information

NDI 2005 Annual Report

Transparency and Accountability In Africa's Extractive Industries