The EITI-Guinea Steering Committee met to review Guinea's efforts to promote transparency in the extractive industries, as a prelude to the upcoming validation of Guinea's status as a country compliant with the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). This validation will take place on 1 October 2025, and EITI Guinea will have to "reposition itself and remobilise all stakeholders" before this deadline, at least this is what Pape Alioune Badara Paye, a member of the international EITI staff and advisor - Francophone Africa, wants.

Guinea, as a mining country, joined the EITI twenty years ago. "The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative has now become the global standard for the sound management of natural resources, oil and gas. Guinea became part of this initiative in April 2005, recognizing its status as a premier mining nation. The goal was to enhance governance in the mining sector and elevate the standard of living for its citizens," stated Mamadou Diaby, executive secretary of EITI Guinea, in an address on Guinean national television.

The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative was born out of the paradox of "countries rich in natural resources and poor and even extremely poor populations". Most countries rich in oil, gas and/or mining resources have their populations living below the poverty line.

In the majority of cases, revenues from these resources are associated with poverty, conflict and corruption. This situation has led some actors to speak of a "curse of natural resources". However, this paradoxical situation is more a result of a lack of transparency and lack of accountability in the permitting and contracting process in this sector than a "curse".

This is why by becoming a member of the EITI, "countries commit to disclosing information on the entire extractive industry value chain – from the conditions for granting extraction rights, to how revenues reach the government and benefit the population".

In view of the current context in the Guinean mining sector, marked by the non-compliance with the required transparency - agreements on the Simandou not disclosed to date, contrary to the provisions of the Guinean Mining Code - will Guinea be able to pass its next evaluation?