Côte d'Ivoire relies on CN-ITIE reform to boost transparency in its extractive industries

Following an assessment concluded in April 2023, Côte d'Ivoire received a score of 80.5 out of 100 in the application of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) standard. This result underlines the need for the country to improve the management of its extractive resources.

With this in mind, at the Council of Ministers meeting on April 17, 2024, the Ivorian government ratified a decree establishing the National EITI Council (CN-ITIE). This decree responds to the recommendations made during the last EITI evaluation, and reorganizes the structure and operations of the CN-ITIE to increase the effectiveness of its actions.

The government has also taken two significant steps to strengthen governance. Firstly, it has approved a law to create a register of beneficial owners of legal entities. Secondly, it is committed to establishing an improved CN-ITIE.

The revised decree aligns the structure and operations of the CN-ITIE with the international recommendations of the EITI, by improving the participation of extractive companies, civil society, technical and financial partners, as well as researchers. The aim is to guarantee total transparency in the management of the country's mining and energy resources, in line with EITI standards.

Although Côte d'Ivoire scored moderately in the EITI assessment, it has helped to improve transparency in the mining, oil and gas sectors. The initial assessment, published in April 2023, was reiterated in the EITI Follow-up Report of April 15, 2024.

The EITI has proposed a number of improvements to be implemented, including increasing the representativeness of NGOs in the civil society component of the CN-ITIE and strengthening its capacities. In addition, it is recommended that beneficial owner information be disclosed for all companies holding or applying for extractive licenses, and that this information be used to generate debate and support reforms.

Transparency and accountability in the extractive industries are crucial to Côte d'Ivoire's development. The oil and gas sector is vital for energy and industry, while the expanding artisanal mining sector plays an essential role in employment and regional development, particularly in the northern and eastern regions. In addition, the energy transition presents new opportunities for the extractive sector, particularly in response to the growing demand for gas.

For the record, the EITI, created in 2003, aims to promote understanding and improvement in the management of natural resources. Since its launch, it has played an important role in highlighting mining contracts that are non-transparent or disadvantageous to states, as recently in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where it helped secure an additional $4 billion in a deal with China.