Promoting a Strong PWYP Coalition in Gabon

Gabon's economy is highly dependent on oil production, which accounts for 51% of the country's GDP and 63% of government revenues. However, these revenues are unequally distributed and subject to corrupt management, resulting in widespread poverty among the Gabonese citizenry.

Under the pressure of international agencies such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, Gabon has undertaken efforts to enhance transparency and good governance in the extractive industries sector. The country joined the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) in 2005, has published two EITI reports to date (albeit flawed) and achieved EITI Candidate Country status in September 2007.

The Gabonese Publish What You Pay (PWYP) coalition was officially launched in June 2007, composed of 20 national civil society organizations coordinated by lead NGO Brainforest. PWYP Gabon has been very active and effective despite a lack of direct funding. In an effort to systematize its operations within a strategic and sustainable framework, RWI is supporting PWYP Gabon's efforts to develop mechanisms for the management of the coalition and build the capacities of its members; facilitate an active advocacy campaign, including lobbying and policy dialogue, to convince public authorities and industry to abide by EITI requirements of the EITI; and sensitize the general public and parliamentarians about the need for transparency and good governance in the extractive sector.

Specific project activities include setting up the coalition's secretariat; training in advocacy and lobbying techniques, project management and budget analysis and monitoring; EITI research and advocacy; hosting national information days on extractive industries and EITI for the public, media and parliamentarians; and disseminating information through publications and newsletters.

Prior to receiving significant financial support, the ad-hoc Gabonese coalition had already achieved great success and demonstrated its commitment to resource revenue transparency and good governance. Brainforest and its partner NGOs have completed the official launching of the PWYP Gabon Coalition; have organized a donors meeting in Libreville; have laid the groundwork for an effective EITI campaign which has resulted in the integration of mining resources and state profit oil into the 2nd EITI report; produced an analysis of the EITI 2nd Report presented in the form of a press release; and mounted a strong advocacy campaign on the Bélinga mining project. All of these activities were carried out prior to the formal institutionalization of the Gabonese coalition and without any direct financial support from the donor community. RWI feels that the coalition is without a doubt a promising national partner and worthy of our financial support to continue and deepen its local transparency activities.

For more information on the activities of Brainforest, please see www.brainforest.org/. For more information on PWYP Gabon, please see www.publishwhatyoupay.org/en/category/countries/gabon.