Overview of the Extractive Industries in the Republic of the Congo (Congo-Brazzaville)

Oil provides a major share of government revenues and exports, and has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy. The Congo also has gold and other mineral resources. Since the crises of 1997 and 1998, the recovery of oil prices has helped to revive Congo’s economy.

Status of EITI Implementation

Congo was accepted as an EITI Candidate Country at the board meeting in Accra 22 February 2008.

The country now has until 9 March 2010 to undertake validation.

The Government announced its intention to join the Initiative in June 2004. It is since October 2007 that real progress was made in the Republic of Congo. The three stakeholder groups have started to co-operate in a constructive way, with sufficient guarantees for civil society to participate freely and independently. An Executive Committee and a Consultative Committee were set up and its members appointed on 4 October 2007. An EITI coordinator has been appointed and as president of the Executive Committee works alongside the two vice presidents, from civil society and the industry respectively. A workplan was finalised and accepted on 28 December 2007. The Executive Committee has recently extended the workplan to cover a period of three years 2008 – 2010.

Governance of EITI implementation in the Republic of the Congo

EITI implementation is governed by a multi-stakeholder Executive Committee (Comité Executif), which is under thew authority of the Minister of Finance. It has 24 members: six representing civil society, six the industry and 13 the government. The President of the Committee is the Head of Hydrocarbons Unit in the Ministry of Finance, Florent Michel Okoko. The Vice Presidents are the Head of PWYP Congo (Civil Society) and the Representative of Total (Industry). Th Executive Committee committee is supported by a multi-stakeholder Consultative Committee (Comité Consultatif). The day-to-day implementation of the work program is ensured by a Permanent Secretary (Secrétaire Exécutif).

EITI National Coordinator and Focal Point

Florent Michel Okoko
Ministry of the Economy, Finances and Budget
Brazzaville
Republic of the Congo
Mobile: +242 555 01 72
Tel: +242 676 64 44
Email: msokoko [at] yahoo [dot] com

EITI Documents

The most recent workplan and other EITI documents are available at www.mefb-cg.org.

For further information, contact the Focal Point, or Policy Adviser Tim Bittiger at the EITI International Secretariat.