African NGOs to Meet On Extractive Industries Review

25 African NGOs working on the extractive sector i.e mining, oil and gas would participate in a two-day international meeting on the Extractive Sector Review (EIR) from 4th - 5th December, in Accra.

A press release from the Third World Network said the meeting is to create a platform for African civil society to generate and share knowledge on the EIR and World Bank Group policies for Africa and to enhance African NGO's ability to coordinate efforts in order to present a stronger and informed position into the process.

The meeting is convened to create a platform for African NGOs participating to prepare a strategy for engagement in the Extractive Industries Review regional consultation workshop for Africa scheduled to take place from 13-17 January, 2003 in Maputo, Mozambique, Case studies of World Bank Group assisted projects in Africa and other Strategic issues.

Among other issues, the Accra meeting will discuss the policies of the World Bank group for the extractive sector in Africa and their impacts on the livelihood of local communities, national economic development as well as environmental protection of mineral-endowed African countries.

The two-day meeting which is being organised by Third World Network Africa will bring together civil society organisations and academics working on or interested in Extractive sector issues in the African continent. The Accra meeting is part of African NGOs preparatory process towards the Maputo regional workshop.

The meeting is expected to come out with an African NGO position and clear demands for the EIR team and the World Bank Group as well as a strategy for monitoring the outcome of the Mozambique meeting and future engagement with the Bank.