Africa Top Success Ils font l'Afrique
The expectation will have lasted about ten years. Since 2nd July 2014, Guinea is member of the Initiative for Transparency in the Mining Industries (ITIE). This new status of the country marks the will of the government and the other members of the mining sector to work for transparency and good management of mines.
Guinea has rich subsoil. The country possesses important mining resources as gold, diamond, iron, oil and uranium, phosphate or manganese. The acceptance of Guinea to conform to the requirements of the ITIE supports the credibility of the country towards foreign investors.
In order to reach this object, Guinea benefited from the support of its partners, particularly the German cooperation through the GIZ, the World Bank and the African Development Bank.
For the Guinean civil society organizations, the good news should not make them lower their effort. The Action for Guinea Mines Association considers that the new status of Guinea marks the beginning of the rigor in the management of mines.
« This validation should not divert us from the essential. It is certainly a great victory, but does not represent the end of our efforts. It must be rather considered as a real starting bloc towards a better supervision of the mining industries« , they declared in a communiqué.
The association while supporting the initiative, formulated a series of recommendations to the Guinean authorities.
In order to win this challenge, the Action for Guinea Mines Association recommends:
– The strengthening of media and civil society capacity of structures; – a reform of the steering committee according to recommendations of the international secretarial department of the ITIE included in the declaration of validation;
– The regular publication of ITIE reports;
– The extension of the ITIE transparency scope in the halieutic and forest resources;
– The immediate setting up of the revenue court;
– The justification of the use of incomes deriving from the mining sector by the Government.
Original text by: Roger ADZAFO
