GYAC-LIBERIA TO COORDINATE NATURAL RESOURCE GOVERNANCE PROJECT

Since the end of its civil wars, Liberia has made considerable governance gains in the natural resources sector. In 2009, the government passed the landmark Liberian Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (LEITI) Law, requiring natural resource revenue and contract transparency. Despite some improvements in natural resource governance in Liberia, not much has been done in getting more young people involve in understanding and participating in resource governance issue in the country.

Rich in natural resource endowment including diamond, gold, timber and most recently the discovery of oil in Liberia Africa oldest Republic, vast majority of the population still live below the national poverty line as estimated in the Rich Country Index 2013.

Natural resources have the potential to bring wealth and stability to resource-rich developing countries. The oil, gas and mining sectors represent one of the biggest sources of revenue in Liberia. Too often, corruption and mismanagement of natural resources leads to poverty and conflict. Improving natural resource governance, in particular by improving financial transparency in the extractive industries, is a crucial first step to ensuring citizens can hold their governments accountable for the oil and mineral wealth that belongs to their country, and to allowing citizens and governments to assess if they are receiving a fair deal for their resources.

Government cannot tackle corruption effectively on its own, other than in highly authoritarian and potentially abusive ways. Civil society organizations need to engage with each other, and with governments and the private sector, so that our voice is heard and taken seriously by policymakers at all levels. The coalition-building approach enables the three parties – government, the private sector and civil society organizations – to find areas of common interest where no single government would otherwise be willing to unilaterally apply more responsible standards of behavior.