Sierra Leone Launches EITI

The Sierra Leone Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (SLEITI) was launched by His Excellency President Kabbah on 28 June 2007. In November 2006 the government of Sierra Leone engaged technical support to implement the Initiative from the Department for International Development.

Political responsibility for the initiative is designated to the post of the Minister of Presidential Affairs - EITI Champion. In January 2007, a delegation attended an EITI workshop hosted by the Ghanaian government where the Champion delivered a key note speech. To date, key government institutions including the National Revenue Authority, Ministry of Mineral Resources and the Ministry of Finance have endorsed EITI and pledged to work towards its implementation.

There is at present no single voice for mining industry in Sierra Leone. However, efforts are being made to establish a Chamber of Mines in the country. This will be of key importance to the implementation of EITI as a standard way through which to engage industry. Civil Society continues to be supportive of the Initiative and has carried out a year long sensitisation programme of civil society groups in the provincial areas.

To date, there is a SLEITI framework and work plan in place. Both documents have extended focus beyond diamonds to include bauxite, rutile and gold – the fist phase of SLEITI will publish and verify data from the four large scale mining companies operating in the country. The SLEITI steering Committee, formed in December 2006 has worked with the support of technical assistance to produce the SLEITI framework and implementation plan.

Components of the Initiative have also been included in the recently redrafted Mines and Mineral Act. Additionally, the EITI has gone into the draft constitution as an ‘enabling provision’ – the purpose is to ensure that an EITI Commission is set up and provided with a mandate to legislate on EITI.

Keynote Speech: Dr. Shehou Sesay, Minister for Presidential Affairs

President Kabbah Receives In Audience New Director-General Of The Ministry Of Mineral Resources

Address by His Excellency the President Alhaj Dr. Ahmad Tejan Kabbah on the Occasion of the Special Session of the Second Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone, 19 June 2007.