Africa-Press – Liberia. A Peer Learning Exchange between Liberia and Sierra Leone was recently held in Monrovia, focusing on EITI implementation. The week-long event, which began Monday, May 6, 2024, welcomed a Sierra Leonean team to share progress, challenges, and strategies related to the 2023 EITI Standard. Notable discussions highlighted Beneficial Ownership Transparency, Contract Transparency, and Anti-Corruption measures.
Institutions on the team from Sierra Leone, according to a joint statement released by the LEITI, and SLEITI, included; the Sierra Leone Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, Financial Intelligence Unit, Corporate Affairs Commission, National Revenue Authority, Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources, National Minerals Agency, and civil society representatives from the National Advocacy Coalition on Extractives and Network Movement for Justice and Development.
Both countries, during the course of the exchange, recognized each other’s achievements and identified areas for mutual growth and collaboration in EITI compliance.
The statement, signed by both Jeffrey N. Yates, Head of Secretariat/LEITI, and Mohammed Baimba Koroma National Coordinator/SLETI, stated that the completion of the event has further strengthened the outlook for EITI implementation in both countries, as participants shed light on adoptive methods of implementing EITI within their respective governance structures.
“The Sierra Leone visit demonstrates Liberia’s significant progress in implementing the EITI Standard and Principles over the years. Similarly, Sierra Leone obtained a high score in its last EITI validation, demonstrating strong commitment to adhering to the EITI Standard and Principles,” the statement said.
The peer learning and exchange event highlighted the 2023 EITI Standard, specifically focusing on Beneficial Ownership (BO) Transparency, Contract Transparency, and Anti-Corruption; three EITI requirements that Liberia has shown strong implementation progress towards. The event also highlighted Sierra Leone’s unique methods of dissemination and the involvement of local authorities in the decision making processes around the administration of the extractive sector.
The week-long event has not only presented a perfect opportunity for these sisterly countries to harness more future engagements for their mutual benefit but has also strengthened the already existing ties between Liberia and Sierra Leone EITI. We intend to remain engaged henceforth.
Liberia and Sierra Leone concluded with actionable takeaways and commitments to enhance their respective EITI frameworks, aiming to strengthen transparency and governance in the extractive sector. The GIZ-Re-GO Project supported the event, sponsored by the European Union and BMZ. The collaboration between the two countries signifies a positive step towards promoting transparency and accountability in the extractive industries.
The following were specific takeaways from each country during the week-long event:
Sierra Lone: The team from Sierra Lone highlighted the following takeaways during the close of the event:
· The team has agreed to strengthen institutional collaboration around Beneficial Ownership, as it is with the case of the Liberia National Steering Committee on Beneficial Ownership;
· The team plans to propose specifically to the Multi-Stakeholders Group and the Government in general, the need to conduct Scoping Studies for the inclusion of the Forestry and Agriculture Sectors under the EITI reporting framework in Sierra Leone;
· The team has agreed to work together to obtain a stronger political commitment for deeper implementation as it is in the case of Liberia;
· The team has agreed to increase the advocacy around the completion, submission, enactment, and publication of the SLEITI Bill as it is with the case of Liberia;
· The team has agreed to strengthen the working relationship with the Sierra Leone Anti-Corruption Commission and Civil Society Organizations to create awareness and collaborate around the investigation of possible cases of corruption in the extractive sector as it is with the case of Liberia;
· The team agreed to begin the preparation of an annual work plan to guide the implementation of Sierra Leone’s Beneficial Ownership implementation;
· The team has agreed to begin the adoption and application of the Open Ownership Nine Principles around Beneficial Ownership implementation;
· The team has agreed to create a version of LEITI’s simplified contract Matrix to inform citizens about the terms and conditions of various concessions and contracts that they can use to hold concessionaires and national leaders accountable;
· The team has agreed to advocate for the inclusion of the SLEITI into the country’s Financial Crimes Working Group;
· The team has agreed to ensure that the SLEITI MSG adopts an enforcement and compliance regulation as it is with the case of LEITI’s MSG Regulation 001;
· The team has agreed to work with all relevant stakeholders to source funding to develop a Beneficial Ownership Roadmap and conduct a Scoping study to support the country’s BO Implementation Plan; and
· The team has agreed to work collaboratively for the development of a National Beneficial Ownership Regulation.
Liberia, on the other hand, has documented the following as takeaways from the events:
The LEITI has agreed to advance the inclusion of a Braille version of EITI summary reports for dissemination as implemented by the SLEITI. This version aims to allow blind people to read and understand the findings of various EITI reports;
The team has agreed to create a platform that involves strong local authorities in decision-making around the governance of the extractive sector as it is with the case of Sierra Leone; and
· The team has agreed to adopt the process of using senior level officials outside the MSG to launch each EITI report once it has been approved by the MSG as it is with the case of SLEITI.
Sierra Leone’s goal is to utilize the Liberian experience on BO progress to improve its own BO Regime, while Liberia is looking to build on the progress of Sierra Leone as it goes to validation in 2025. Mr. Jeffrey N. Yates and Mr. Mohammed B. Koroma, National Coordinators of Liberia and Sierra Leone EITI Secretariat strongly expressed confidence that the peer exchange and learning event will objectively impact their respective country EITI implementation activities.
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