Three members of the Gabonese government gathered on December 23 in Libreville for a press conference aimed at enlightening public opinion on Gabon’s desire to reinstate the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), a global benchmark in the field of promotion of good governance of oil, gas and mining resources.
Set aside from the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) seven years ago, Gabon is refining its strategy to reintegrate this organization, which is presented as a global benchmark in the governance of oil, gas and mining resources.
As part of this approach, the ministers of Oil, Gas and Mines, Vincent de Paul Massassa, Budget, Sosthène Ossoungou Ndibangoye, and Economy and Recovery, Nicole Jeanine Lydie Roboty Mbou, were faced with the press, December 23 in Libreville. They presented the reasons for Gabon’s return to this Group, but also the stakes for such a return.
Since last June, Gabon has singularly shown its interest in returning to this institution. A decision that is part of a global desire to have better management of public funds and to step up the fight against corruption, embezzlement and illicit enrichment, particularly in the extractive industries sector.
Last November, to strengthen this will, the country relied on a woman, Léontine Oyouomi Loumbou Bibey, president of the interest group, to make this return to the EITI a success. The Minister of the Economy and Recovery has indicated that this return will better reconcile what companies say and what the state receives. But this requires, she said, several requirements, including the establishment of a tripartite management body: State-industries-civil society.
Regarding the issues, Nicole Jeanine Lydie Roboty Mbou reminds that Gabon, which joined the EITI in 2004, can only record positive effects. This return, she suggested, will improve the business and investment climate and will have a strong social impact.
Vincent de Paul Massassa and Sosthène Ossoungou Ndibangoye corroborated their colleague’s remarks, recalling that this return “is a strong commitment by the Head of State” to restore transparency in the extractive industries sector.
Present at this meeting, the president of the Interest Group, installed last November, Léontine Oyouomi Loumbou Bibey, for his part recalled that Gabon will spare no effort for this return. However, she points out that “without civil society this grouping cannot thrive”. “We must all come together to present a reliable case so that the goal is reached on time.” While no timeline is given at this time, the Interest Group chairman said “it’s not about going fast, it’s about doing well”.
