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Senegal declared first country in Africa to have made satisfactory progress in implementing the EITI Standard

Senegal declared first country in Africa to have made satisfactory progress in implementing the EITI Standard

The Board welcomed Senegal’s fast pace and innovative EITI implementation

8 May 2018 - The international EITI Board today welcomed Senegal’s progress in using the EITI to drive government reforms and generate a vibrant public debate on the nascent extractives sector. The Board concluded that the country had made satisfactory progress in meeting EITI requirements, making Senegal the first country in Africa and the fourth EITI implementing country to reach this level of progress.

Fredrik Reinfeldt, Chair of the EITI, said:

“The progress achieved by Senegal, is impressive. I congratulate the government and all stakeholders and encourage them to make Senegal a pioneer in systematic and regular disclosure of data about the extractives sector. Strengthening government systems and accountability mechanisms, and managing expectations, will be key as the country joins the club of oil and gas producers in the coming years.”

Swift progress since Senegal started implementing the EITI in 2013

Senegal published its 2015 and 2016 EITI Reports on 16 October 2017, making its EITI reporting the most up-to-date in Africa.

The Board noted that Senegal had made swift progress in its five years of EITI implementation. Validation confirmed that Senegal has used the EITI to support reforms in the oversight of the extractive industries and public financial management.

Aissatou Sophie Gladima, Minister of Mines and Geology, noted: “In the five years since our country started implementing the EITI Standard we have published four EITI Reports. Our oil, mining and gas sectors are growing and the EITI has been very well accepted by all stakeholders in Senegal. Government gives it particular weight since it has strengthened access to information and the dialogue between stakeholders through actively promoted public debate.”

The Board recognised Senegal’s efforts to go beyond the requirements of the EITI Standard in areas of contract transparency, social expenditures, following up on recommendations and impacting public debate. The Board also took special note of the Senegal’s endeavours to ensure accessible, regular disclosure of information on the sector to its citizens, not least through the Senegal EITI website.

Ibrahima Sory Diallo, President of the Publish What You Pay (PWYP), and member of PWYP’s Global Council said: “The progress made in implementing the EITI Standard reflects the major efforts all actors have consented to strengthen transparency and economic governance. Civil society organisations are happy to contribute to our country benefits from these efforts.”

Abdou Aziz Sy, President of the Chamber of Mines of Senegal said: “This result is by no means a miracle.  It’s the result of a remarkable amount of work by all stakeholders in our ongoing strive for transparency and accountability in the management and governance of our natural resources. This calls for congratulations to the national committee and all those who have contributed to this achievement. We are both happy and proud.”

Moving beyond EITI requirements ahead of next Validation

While the Government of Senegal has taken steps to address all the requirements of the EITI Standard, the Board encouraged the government to deepen the EITI’s contribution in enhancing extractives licence management, beneficial ownership transparency, transparency of state-owned enterprises, and comprehensiveness and reliability of production figures.

Mansour Elimane Kane, Minister of Petroleum, said:Senegal is preparing for the future. Senegal’s constitution was revised by referendum in March 2016 in order to enshrine the principles of transparency and the common ownership of natural resource wealth by all citizens. The petroleum code is being revised at the moment in order to improve the licensing mechanism and reflect best practice, as outlined in the EITI Standard”.

The Board welcomed the government’s commitment to entrench an enabling environment for EITI implementation in sector policies and legislations, and encouraged the MSG’s efforts to move towards systematic and regular disclosures of EITI data through government and company systems in the coming years.

Full text of the Board decision

On 8 May 2018, the EITI Board came to the following decision on Senegal’s status: 

Following the conclusion of Senegal’s Validation, the EITI Board decides that Senegal has made satisfactory progress overall in implementing the EITI Standard.

The Board congratulates the Government of Senegal and the Multi-Stakeholder Group (MSG) on the progress made in improving transparency and accountability in the extractive industries, and for using the process to drive government reforms and generate a vibrant public debate on the nascent extractives sector. Senegal has made swift progress in its four years of EITI implementation, which have led to tangible impacts through government reforms and host communities’ greater awareness of their rights and entitlements. Validation has confirmed that Senegal has used the EITI to support reforms in oversight of the extractive industries and public financial management.

The Board recognises Senegal’s efforts to go beyond the requirements of the EITI Standard in areas of contract transparency, social expenditures, following up on recommendations and impacting public debate. The MSG has proved adept at balancing interests between equal partners and proactive in its dissemination, outreach and assessment of impact. The Board also takes note of Senegal’s exemplary work in publishing extractives contracts. The Board encourages the government to deepen the EITI’s contribution in enhancing extractives licence management, transparency of state-owned enterprises, beneficial ownership disclosure, and comprehensiveness and reliability of production figures. The Board welcomes the government’s commitment to entrench an enabling environment for EITI implementation in sector policies and legislations, and encourages the MSG’s efforts to move towards systematic disclosures of EITI data through government and company systems.

In making its decision, the Board takes special note of the Government of Senegal’s efforts to ensure accessible, regular disclosure of information on the sector to its citizens, not least through the Senegal EITI website http://itie.sn/.

The Board has determined that Senegal will have three years, i.e. until 8 May 2021 before a re-Validation under the EITI Standard.  

The Board’s decision followed a Validation that commenced on 1 July 2017. In accordance with the 2016 EITI Standard, an initial assessment was undertaken by the International Secretariat. The findings were reviewed by an Independent Validator, who submitted a draft Validation report to the MSG for comment. The MSG’s comments on the report were taken into consideration by the independent Validator in finalising the Validation report and the independent Validator responded to the MSG’s comments. The final decision was taken by the EITI Board.

Notes

  • Validation is the EITI’s independent evaluation mechanism. It assesses countries against progress made in meeting the 2016 Standard.
  • The Board decision in full, including corrective actions and impact of the EITI in the country, can be found here: eiti.org/BD/2018-23 
  • The reports giving an extensive review of Senegal's extractive sector can be found here: eiti.org/document/senegal-validation-2017
  • The Board has taken decisions on the status of Senegal on 8 May 2018: eiti.org/document/validation-schedule-decisions
  • See here for a full explanation of the various levels of progress under the EITI Standard.
  • For further information about the EITI in Senegal, please visit the country page on the EITI website and the Senegal EITI website.
  • The EITI’s 41st Board meeting will be held in Dakar on 30-31 October 2018.
Countries
Senegal