This event took place in March 2021. You can find here the links to the conference’s sessions recordings and the report presenting highlights of the three-day meeting.
Adapting for resilience and collaborating for impact on natural resource governance
24 and 25 March
The 2021 PWYP Africa Conference will consider how the resource governance movement can build resilience and collaborate for impact in Africa, in the face of big global challenges like the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change and energy transition, and threats on civic space.
The conference, held every three years, is the principal space for PWYP members, along with the wider natural resource governance movement in Africa, to strategise, discuss and exchange experiences, and to learn from one another.
The conference will be the first Africa-wide PWYP gathering since the adoption of the five year global Strategy, Vision 2025 – A people-centred agenda for the extractive sector. It will also be the first PWYP Africa Conference to be held virtually, a necessary measure resulting from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Each session will feature a panel discussion/presentation from speakers for 45 minutes, followed by a 30 minute question and answer session. All sessions will be recorded and made available online following the event.
Please note that by registering for this event you are committing to abide by the PWYP code of conduct.
Languages: English, French and Portuguese
Length: 1.5 hours
The panel will highlight the current trends in the governance of the extractives sector. PWYP Executive Director will also share on PWYP Vision 2025, the importance of PWYP in shaping the governance of the sector. The Chair of the Africa Steering Committee will address key issues related to the extractives governance in Africa and the importance of movement building in addressing the challenges that Africa faces in managing the sector.
The Keynote speaker will address the impact of COVID on resource governance and speak to the challenges resource rich countries in Africa have faced. He will also highlight the challenges that host communities face in the midst of COVID and what governments, non state actors and communities need to manage the extractives sector for future generations.
24 March - Responsive adaptation in a time of crisis: what is needed to drive open and accountable extractives governance in Africa?
Responsive adaptation in a time of crisis: what is needed to drive open and accountable extractives governance in Africa?
11:00 GMT
Languages: English, French and Portuguese
Length: 1.5 hours
This panel will reflect on the findings of the Covid-19 scenario workshop which PWYP facilitated in October 2020 to consider the economic, political and social impact of four Covid-19 scenarios on the governance of the extractive industries, and on PWYP’s global strategy. Panellists will be invited to share their perspectives on how companies, governments and civil society movements in Africa can or should respond, in order to drive improved natural resource governance across the continent, including in the context of climate change and the energy transition; civic space; tax justice; and gender equality.
24 March - Women’s rights as a resource governance priority
Women’s rights as a resource governance priority
24 March 2021 – 13:00 GMT
Languages: English, French and Portuguese
Length: 1.5 hours
Even if we can notice tremendous efforts to address gender issues in the extractive sector, there’s still enormous gaps to advance women rights substantively as a key priority in the transparency movement, like contract transparency or tax issues are.
This panel aims to build on the experiences of diverse stakeholders including the industry, government and civil society on fostering a feminist natural resource governance.
25 March - Shining a light on extractive sector tax for optimal revenue generation
Shining a light on extractive sector tax for optimal revenue generation
09:00 GMT
Languages: English, French and Portuguese
Length: 1.5 hours
Over a decade ago, African heads of government and state agreed to the Africa Mining Vision (2009), a blueprint that seeks to harness mineral wealth to achieve socio-economic transformation on the continent. One of the key pillars of the AMV is on mining fiscal linkages by curbing illicit financial flows and tightening tax regimes. Furthermore, Africa governments have increasingly recognised the importance of reviewing and reforming fiscal rules and systems to enhance the generation of revenues from the extractives sector. In this session we will be looking at best practices and lessons learnt to help shape an effective approach for governments to generate more revenue from the extractive sector.
25 March - Contract transparency: why does it matter and what can we do together to implement the global norm of contract disclosure across the continent
Contract transparency: why does it matter and what can we do together to implement the global norm of contract disclosure across the continent
11:00 GMT
Languages: English, French and Portuguese
Length: 1.5 hours
Although, as a result of several actions by civil society organisations, a number of contracts have already been published, it is still important to note that the vast majority of contracts have not yet been published. Faced with this situation, in 2020, PWYP launched #DiscloseTheDeal, our global campaign for contract transparency in the oil, gas and mining industries. This comes in a critical year; as of January 2021, Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) countries will be required to start disclosing contracts.
This panel at the Africa Conference will provide an opportunity for speakers to respond to and reflect on how the resource governance movement across the world can learn from different experiences and support strong uptake of EITI standard.
25 March - Energy transition: Between challenges and opportunities for extractive resource rich countries in Africa
Energy transition: Between challenges and opportunities for extractive resource rich countries in Africa
13:00 GMT
Languages: English, French and Portuguese
Length: 1.5 hours
The transition to low carbon energy necessary to tackle the climate crisis can contribute towards a resilient post-pandemic recovery, secure sustainable development, and benefit citizens. However, without a concerted and organized effort by civil society, the energy transition risks being both inadequate and unfair, undermining economic benefits and livelihoods, and weakening citizen participation in the management of their natural resources.
What could be the impact of the energy transition on the economies of African countries rich in oil resources and strategic minerals? What needs to happen to ensure the future energy transition is economically and socially fair? How should Africa position itself in relation to energy transition and what role can PWYP play in this regard? The interventions of the different panellists will aim to provide some answers to these questions.
