Announcement: Nominations of Civil Society Representatives on the EITI International Board (2023-2026)

The Civil Society Advisory Group (CSAG) is pleased to announce the ten nominees chosen through a rigorous selection process to serve as civil society representatives on the EITI International Board for the three-year term June 2023-2026. Please see below for details on the nominees, including their professional experience and geographic provenance. A two-week complaints period began 22 April and ended 5 May 2023 with no complaints submitted. The nominees will be official through their election at the EITI Global Conference in June in Dakar, Senegal.

The process of selection is broadly described in the timeline below. The CSAG’ decision rested on a careful application of the criteria for selection outlined in the Constituency Guidelines for Civil Society. CBI will provide a more detailed description of the methodology applied on this site by 1 June 2023.  

Please see the final report here.

Nominee Photo and Biography

During the nominations process, the CSAG was impressed by the rich talent in the EITI CSO Constituency and the strong commitment, achievements, and diversity of experience among the candidates. Among the 10 final nominees are six women and four men who bring unmatched collective depth and breadth of expertise: among them are veterans of the EITI who have successfully advocated on priority issues at the Board level, such as the revised Validation model, the 2022 Company Expectations, and the revised 2023 EITI Standard; there are also many new leaders who have distinguished themselves in raising up transparency and accountability in national initiatives, introducing innovations in data dissemination and working directly with communities affected by the extractive sector. Together the nominees bring wide-ranging technical expertise across the supply chain, research, policy advocacy, stakeholder engagement and negotiation skills, as well as strong networks at local, national, regional, and global levels. Thus, the nominees make up a group that is well placed to tackle continuing and cutting-edge priorities on the EITI agenda, including the protection of civil society and key issues at the heart of proposed revisions to the EITI Standard, including the energy transition, gender, and anti-corruption.

About the Nominees

• Ba Aliou Coulibaly, Full Member-

Ba Aliou Coulibaly est né  le 24 juin 1964 à Kaedi . Il est sortant de la faculté des sciences Humaines de  l’université de Nouakchott et  titulaire d’un Certificat d’Aptitude à l’enseignement du Secondaire CAPES  de  l’Ecole Normale Supérieure . Baliou Coulibaly a bénéficié de plusieurs formations dans le domaine du plaidoyer et de la communication pour le  changement ainsi que dans  la gouvernance des ressources naturelles.

• Vanessa Cueto La Rosa, Full Member-

Vanessa is a lawyer from the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (PUCP) with more than 18 years of experience working on environmental issues in the public sector and in civil society. Currently, she is Vice President of Environmental Law and Natural Resources - DAR, a Peruvian civil association whose mission is to contribute to the defense of human rights, conservation, and sustainable use of natural resources, promoting socio-environmental governance in coordination with local populations and Indigenous villages. Likewise, she is a representative of civil society before the Permanent Multisectoral Commission of EITI Peru; she has participated in the elaboration of the document: «Mining Vision to 2030» within the framework of the RIMAY initiative; she is a member of the Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide (ELAW); she and author of numerous publications and opinion articles on socio-environmental considerations in energy and infrastructure policies and projects in the Amazon.

• Dianna Kaissy, Full Member-

Diana is advisory board member of the Lebanese Oil and Gas Initiative and the Director of civil society engagement at the International Republican Institute-IRI/Lebanon-MENA program. Energy governance specialist, keynote speaker in numerous energy related summits and events. Published author, completed several researches related to energy governance issues, post legislative scrutiny, and energy transition versus just transition, with special focus on MENA.

• Kossi Kougblenou, Alternate- 

Monsieur KOUGBLENOU Kossi (Pius) est un spécialiste de plus de 25 ans d’expérience en gestion de cycle de projet (formation doctorale en planification et gestion des projets/programmes axées sur les résultats, MASTER 2 – SAGE). Expert en gouvernance des industries extractives avec une spécialisation en analyse et utilisation des données ITIE, M. KOUGBLENOU Kossi (Pius) a été de 2019 à 2023 Représentant de la société civile de l’Afrique francophone dans le groupe consultatif de la société civile (GCSC) de l’ITIE,  (organe de l’ITIE crée en 2019). Rigoureux et très tenace, il est un leader qui allie transparence et professionnalisme au travail avec un sens élevé de recherche de consensus. Il est de la troisième promotion du CEGIEAF à l’université catholique de l’Afrique centrale. A son palmarès on compte la gestion des projets du secteur extractif à l’instar du projet anticorruption ITIE Togo tourné vers la prévention et la lutte contre la corruption dans le secteur extractif togolais ; le projet datathon qui renforce la disponibilité, l’accessibilité et l’utilisation des données des rapports ITIE sur les payements sociaux volontaires et obligatoires des entreprises extractives et les ristournes versées par le Trésor public aux communes minières du Togo. Ce dernier projet vise le renforcement de la mobilisation et de l’utilisation optimale des ressources locales au niveau des communes afin de préparer les populations à la résilience face à la transition énergétique. On pourra également citer à son actif le Projet de plaidoyer pour une délocalisation pour cause d’exploitation minière respectueuse des droits des communautés et des meilleurs standards, cas du village de Sagonou au Togo. Directeur Exécutif de l’ONG ACOMB, Monsieur KOUGBLENOU Kossi (Pius) travaille avec une vision qui veut que l’exploitation des ressources extractives bénéficie non seulement aux générations actuelles et futures mais aussi serve à la réalisation des priorités de développement des pays.

• Tamika Halwiindi, Alternate- 

Tamika Halwiindi is currently an Environmental Governance Officer at Transparency International Zambia, responsible for managing and coordinating programming, advocacy and research pertaining to environmental and natural resource governance. Tamika also served as the Vice Chairperson on the Publish What You Pay Zambia national steering committee from 2020 to 2023. She is a development economist with a decade’s experience in developmental and natural resource governance. She has a Master of Science in International Development from University of Birmingham, UK, as well as Master of Arts in Economic Policy Management and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, both from the University of Zambia.

• Mariya Lobacheva, Full Member- 

Mariya Lobacheva is program director at Kazakhstan NGO Echo. Her work includes managing a research and advocacy strategy to promote transparency and citizen participation. She has been working on the implementation of the EITI in Kazakhstan for 19 years, several times represented civil society on the Kazakhstan MSG and continues to advise CS MSG members on the implementation of the EITI Standard. Mariya has carried out several analytical works related to the extractive sector’s influence on the local population, as well as civic participation in income management at the subnational level. She has been a consultant and mentor to a number of organizations and activists working on issues of transparency and accountability in the extractive sector. Mariya currently represents the Civil society constituency at the EITI Board.

• Clancy Moore, Full Member-

  Clancy Moore is the Chief Executive Officer of Transparency International Australia overseeing a global mining programme operating in more than 20 countries to improve transparency and accountability across the value chain. This includes addressing corruption risks in the licensing phase and promoting good governance of the energy transition.

  Clancy has almost 20 years’ experience in international development advocacy, including leading the Publish What You Pay coalition in Australia and working with INGOs whilst living in resource rich countries such as Myanmar, Brazil and the Solomon Islands. He regularly represents civil society in the media, is a member of the Australian Open Government Partnership forum and a guest lecturer at several Australian universities.

• Olena Pavlenko, Alternate- 

Olena Pavlenko, PhD, is the President and co-founder of the Ukrainian think-tank DiXi Group and the Ukrainian Energy website. She has been actively involved in the implementation of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) in Ukraine since 2010 and currently serves as the Deputy Head of Ukraine’s EITI Multi-Stakeholder Group. Olena is also known for her role as the PWYP Global Council Chair in 2020-2022 and Chair of the EU-UA Civil Society Platform in 2021-2022.

Olena is the author of the brochure "Playing a long game: how civil society can lead changes," which shares Ukraine's experience in EITI implementation with civil society organizations in other countries. She leads a team of 17 people and has extensive experience in managing projects supported by the USAID, EU, OECD, World Bank, and other international organizations.

Prior to founding the DiXi Group, Olena worked as a speechwriter for President Victor Yushchenko (2005-2008) and served as a non-staff Advisor to the Minister of Energy and Minister of Foreign Affairs.

• Yessica Prieto Ramos, Alternate- 

Yessica Prieto Ramos is a Political Scientist, specialized in conflict resolution. She is a candidate for a Master's degree in Risk Governance and Resources at Heidelberg University, Germany. She has experience in analyzing socio-environmental conflicts, implementing the EITI standard, and strategic relationships with public and private actors.

Since 2015, she has been linked to the Colombian NGO Crudo Transparente as a researcher and currently serves as the National Director of Research and Projects. The organization promotes transparency and accountability in the extractive industry and natural resource governance.

Since December 2017, she has represented Crudo Transparente on the MSG of EITI Colombia, one of the three organizations that promote the interests of civil society within the multi-stakeholder group.

• Mattheiu Salomon, Alternate- 

Matthieu has worked on governance and anticorruption issues for more than 15 years, including more than 10 years based in Southeast Asia. Before NRGI, he worked in particular for Vietnam’s Towards Transparency (TI official Vietnamese affiliate) and for the Embassy of Sweden/SIDA in Hanoi. At NRGI, between 2012 and 2017 Matthieu oversaw a USAID-funded partnership project on extractive industry governance in Southeast-Asia; and led NRGI’s new program in Myanmar. After, based in France, he has continued to support NRGI’s work on anticorruption, EITI and civil society partnerships, in Francophone Africa, the Middle East and North Africa.Matthieu is now leading NRGI’s work on anticorruption and, since October 2022, is Acting Governance Programs Director. Matthieu graduated from Sciences Po and from the Sorbonne (University Paris I) in history and political science.

For further information on the role of CSO EITI international Board members and the selection process, please see the CALL FOR APPLICATION available in the tab on the right in English, French, Spanish and Russian.

Questions can be directed to csoboardselection@cbi.org

About the EITI Board and Civil Society Representatives

The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) is a global standard promoting the open and accountable management of oil, gas, and mineral resources. The International Board, the EITI’s main governing and decision-making body, is composed of 21 representatives from the various Constituencies engaged in the EITI: governments of implementing and supporting countries, extractive companies and investors, and civil society organizations. The Board is supported by the EITI International Secretariat, based in Oslo, which is responsible for the day-to-day running of the EITI and the coordination of EITI implementation efforts worldwide.

June 2023 will mark the beginning of a new three-year term for EITI Board Members. The EITI Civil Society Constituency is therefore conducting a search for 10 new Board Members (5 full members and 5 alternates) to serve during the next mandate period. The EITI Civil Society Board Members seek to work together as a diverse and integrated team to share a significant workload and collectively bring a strong civil society voice to the EITI.

About the CSAG

The CSO Board nominations process is managed by the Civil Society Advisory Group (CSAG), a body established in the 2019 Guidelines for the Civil Society Constituency to create a closer linkage between CSO EITI governance at the international level and regional and national constituencies. The CSAG is renewed every three years. The membership of the CSAG is a balanced mix of regional representatives, elected by the CSO EITI Constituency, representatives of international civil society organizations, and former Board members not intending to present a candidacy.

For more information on the role and membership of the CSAG please see here:

https://www.cbi.org/project/cbi-facilitation-csag/