The Chair of Senegal’s National Committee for the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), Thialy Faye, launched the first edition of the ‘EITI Kick-off’ on Thursday 12 March 2026 at the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Dakar. This annual event marks the official start of the process of drafting the 2025 EITI Report and aims to strengthen transparent governance in the extractive sector, as the country enters a decisive phase of oil and gas exploitation.
Bringing together around the same table the three constituencies of the Multi-Stakeholder Group – public institutions, the private sector and civil society – as well as representatives from Parliament, the Court of Auditors, extractive and public enterprises, the media, and technical and financial partners, this meeting is intended to serve as a forum for strategic and inclusive dialogue. “This first edition of the EITI’s ‘Rentrée’ is intended to be an annual high-level event and a strategic forum for dialogue between all stakeholders in extractive governance,” said Thialy Faye.
The Chair of the EITI National Committee emphasised the vital importance of the Initiative against the backdrop of changes in Senegal’s extractive sector. “I remain convinced that, with the commitment of each and every one of us, we can consolidate Senegal’s achievements in extractive transparency and make the EITI an even more effective tool in the service of good governance and the development of our country,” he said.
Despite recognised progress on the international stage in recent years, the EITI process in Senegal has faced difficulties: repeated delays in the production of reports, technical challenges relating to the online reporting platform, and misunderstandings regarding deadlines and requirements. In light of these constraints, the National Committee has made streamlining deadlines and improving the efficiency of the reporting and production process a top priority for 2026.
The EITI 2026 Kick-off Meeting has several specific objectives: to approve the roadmap for the 2025 Report, to clarify the roles and obligations of each stakeholder, to strengthen the technical capacity of reporting entities, and to collectively identify bottlenecks. Going beyond mere compliance with minimum standards, Thialy Faye encouraged stakeholders to adopt a proactive approach: early publication of information, making data openly available, and making it accessible to researchers, the media and the public.
“Transparency in the extractive industries is a cornerstone of Senegal’s international credibility and a key driver for the responsible and sustainable management of our natural resources,” concluded the chair of the EITI National Committee.
This initiative comes at a strategic moment for Senegal, which aims to transform its resources into opportunities for sustainable development. By establishing an open and ongoing dialogue, the ‘EITI Rentrée’ aims to put an end to late reporting and position the country as a model of transparent extractive governance in Africa.
The EITI National Committee, chaired by Thialy Faye since January 2025, therefore aims to build on the progress made and meet the legitimate expectations of citizens in the face of increasing exploitation of oil, gas and mineral resources.