EITI in Sierra Leone
Overview of Extractive Industries
The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiatives (EITI) sets global standards for mining, oil
and gas. The aim of the Initiative is to create standards for countries to implement to increase
greater transparency where companies disclose what they pay and governments disclose what they
received from these resources.
The EITI requires countries and companies that commit to participating in the EITI to periodically validate their progress in meeting the EITI standards by submitting their performance for review by an independent third party. The goal of validation is to ensure that countries and companies do what they say they will, and that the implementation program complies fully with the EITI Criteria and Principles. Central to the validation process is the production of a report that reconciles payments by mining companies with relevant revenue received by government entities
Sierra Leone was accepted as an EITI candidate country on 22 February 2008 and established The Sierra Leone EITI Steering Committee (SLEITI) which is a Multi Stakeholder Group (MSG) made of mining companies, government agencies and civil society including the media.
Status of EITI Implementation
A work plan was agreed by the SLEITI Steering Committee that stared the process of producing the
first report. Subsequently, in March 2010, the First EITI Report was completed covering payments
made to the Government entities by mining companies and dealers/exporters on benefits from diamond,
gold, bauxite, and rutile.
The Report was submitted to the Multi-Stakeholder Group and the SLEITI Champion at a ceremony
held at State House on Monday 8 March 2010. The Report will be launched towards the end of
March 2010.
The next objective is to ensure that Sierra Leone attains Compliant status through the EITI validation process.
Steering Committee/MSG
The Ministry for Presidential and Public Affairs (MPPA) was charged with the responsibility of
implementing the Sierra Leone EITI (SLEITI) in collaboration with the Steering Committee,
which is a coalition of government, civil society and company representative referred to as
the MSG.