Mining and metals, Africa Resettlement action plan in West Africa

Summary

EEM facilitated the development of a community-led Resettlement Action Plan compliant with Guinean, International Finance Corporation and World Bank standards for 661 impacted persons in two Guinean villages.

Approach and Solution

EEM mobilised a team comprised of local and international consultants specialised in:
• Socioeconomic studies;
• Asset surveys;
• Market studies;
• Community mobilisation;
• Livelihoods restoration; and
• Data management.

EEM worked for two months to gain community acceptability to initiate the Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) development. EEM and its in-country community consultation partner (fluent in the local language) then worked with the community to build capacity to effectively participate in the RAP development process and articulate their concerns and priorities for resettlement and compensation. Community engagement activities took the form of focus groups covering the spectrum of community stakeholders (with a particular emphasis on vulnerable people). Topics covered included: the mining project and its local impacts and affected assets, eligibility for compensation and cut-off dates, socioeconomic and asset surveys, resettlement sites, compensation measures, housing and infrastructure, and complaints management.

The in-country social studies partner then initiated socioeconomic surveys to identify and establish a baseline socioeconomic profile of affected households that can be monitored throughout and post-implementation to assure effective restoration of standards of living. This partner also conducted surveys of all affected assets as well as a market study to establish compensation rates based on fair market-value. Community leadership, local authorities, and a community facilitator oversaw all in-community studies.

EEM then worked with the mining company to integrate community concerns and priorities into a compensation and resettlement approach that was written into a Resettlement Action Plan. This RAP was then presented to each community for final modification and approval before submission to the IFC and Guinean government.

As a final step in the process, EEM participated in an IFC due-diligence mission aimed at ensuring the effectiveness and broad community support for the Resettlement Action Plan.

Results

EEM’s strategy was for a community-led RAP development process in order to ensure broad community acceptance and long-term improvement to household wellbeing subsequent to resettlement and compensation.