This briefing presents the results and recommendations from the 2021 Resource Governance Index for Guinea's mining sector.
In the 2021 Resource Governance Index (RGI), Guinea gained 6 points compared to the 2019 interim evaluation with a score of 62 out of 100, allowing the country to move to the higher “satisfactory” performance band, though the country’s increase is lower than its previous progress between the 2017 RGI and the 2019 interim evaluation (+12 points).
The most significant improvement since the 2019 interim evaluation relates to the implementation of article 165 of the 2011/2013 mining code on subnational transfers of mining revenue to all municipalities of the country. In consequence, the revenue management component has progressed significantly, from 52 to 71 points, and is now in the satisfactory performance band. While the enabling environment component remains in the weak band, performance in the value realization component is firmly in the highest band, with a score of 80. Lastly, the continuous closing of the gap between practices and laws since the 2017 RGI (from -15 to -14) is due to progressive application of the mining code.
Recommendations:
Guinea’s government should make mandatory the disclosure of environmental and social impact assessments and management plans relating to mining projects. The regulations of the 2019 environment code will need to be finalized, particularly those relating to compensation and to the resettlement of people affected by mining projects.
In addition, the government should accelerate progress in the fight against conflicts of interest and corruption by operationalizing the mechanism for disclosing information about the beneficial ownership of mining licenses, and the declaration of any interests of government officials in companies operating in the sector.
The Court of Audit of Guinea (Cour des Comptes) should carry out an audit of subnational transfers of mining revenues realized since 2019.
The 2021 RGI assesses how 18 resource-rich countries govern their oil, gas and mineral wealth. The index composite score is made up of three components. Two measure key characteristics of the extractives sector – value realization and revenue management – and a third captures the broader context of governance — the enabling environment. These three overarching dimensions of governance consist of 14 subcomponents, which comprise 51 indicators, which are calculated by aggregating 136 questions. For more information on the index and how it was constructed, review the RGI Method Paper.
