The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI-Chad) hopes to learn from the experience of the Senegalese press in good governance of extractive resources. An experience-sharing session with AJTREX and COJES provided a better understanding of the key role of the media in the EITI implementation process.
Chad has significant mining potential. In its policy of revitalising the sector, the government is seeking to surround itself with all guarantees of transparency in the exploitation of its mineral resources, particularly gold. This is why it is important to draw inspiration from best practices in countries that have successfully implemented the standard.
"We are here as part of a project to promote transparency in the sector and the purpose of our visit was to meet with different actors who are involved in this process," said Mr. Gab Leyba Guy Dabi, Director of the Observatoire des Finances Publiques (OFP) of Chad.
As part of this project, EITI-Chad has planned dissemination activities as well as a series of press conferences to better disseminate data on the sector. Senegal's status as an EITI implementing country with "satisfactory progress" explains its choice.
"That is why we are very interested in your views and experience with EITI Senegal. We want to know how the collaboration is done. The press plays an important role in sharing information with the population," added the OFP Director.
The members of the Chadian delegation who met with the specialised press, notably the leaders of the Association of Journalists for Transparency in Extractive Resources (AJTREX) and the Collective of Economic Journalists of Senegal (COJES), were interested in the constraints faced by these media actors.
The ability to make digestible this information, often technical with a lot of figures, makes the economic press an essential link in the chain of dissemination of data collected by the EITI. The president of the Collectif des Journalistes Economiques (COJES), Mr Dialigué Faye, welcomed the exchanges with the Chadian delegation.
For him, it is important that the press be well equipped to do the work that is needed in such a technical sector. That is why he suggested setting up a framework that will allow journalists who wish to do so to specialise. He advised them to remain open and accessible to journalists.
"The press has a very important role to play in the transparency and good governance of extractive resources. This is why it would be good to support Chadian journalists through training and capacity building workshops", added the President of COJES, who is also in charge of partnership and training at AJTREX.
For his part, the person in charge of oil and gas issues for the Association of Journalists for Transparency in Extractive Resources (AJTREX), emphasised the importance of using digital technology. For Mapathé Sow, this tool allows for factual and timely data.
He adds: "It is essential to be present on the internet, through the various digital communication media that constitute social networks. This allows you to be in permanent contact with the population and to pass on information instantly.
This meeting is part of a visit to exchange best practices for the promotion of transparency in extractive resources in Chad. This mission, which began on 27 March, will continue in Dakar until 2 April 2023.
Source : Yanda Sow, Journaliste Africa Petromine