PWYP Regional networks: Some lessons and experiences from elsewhere Bishkek Regional CSO Meeting, October 2010

Overview  The evolution of PWYP globally  Our international operating structures  PWYP in the regions  The PWYP-Africa story  Our lessons learned  Principles to consider

The evolution of PWYP  From UK campaign to global campaign coalition  April 2002: 5 UK-based INGOs  October 2010: more than 600 members in almost 60 countries and national coalitions in 32 countries  The global PWYP ‘model’  An international CSO network.. of national coalitions  An coordinating international secretariat, based in London

PWYP International Secretariat (cont’d) Overall Goal: ‘To reinforce the global PWYP’s network’s activities to ensure transparency and accountability in the management of oil, gas and mining revenues’

PWYP International Secretariat  The role of the PWYP International Secretariat is to coordinate and support the global coalition in advocacy, capacity-building and coalition outreach.  PWYP International consists of 4 full-time staff:  International Coordinator (Radhika Sarin)  Advocacy and Information Officer (Joe Williams)  Programme Officer (Sophia Harding)  Africa Coordinator (Carlo Merla)  The PWYP International Secretariat office is hosted by the Open Society Foundation in London; the Africa Coordinator will be based in Accra, Ghana and hosted by Catholic Relief Services (CRS)

PWYP International operational structure  PWYP is a campaign, not an organisation: our operating structure reflects that difference – i.e. loose, flexible, responsive to changing situation / trends  PWYP is a global network of (independent) national coalitions: governance of the global coalition is thus bottom-up (i.e. we remain responsive to the concerns identified by members)

PWYP in the regions

Belgium, Denmark, France, Spain, UK Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, The Philippines Timor Leste Canada, USA Algeria, Yemen Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Congo, DRC, Cote d’Ivoire, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Ghana, Kenya Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Nigeria, Niger, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe Bolivia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic Mongolia

The PWYP-Africa story  The largest, most ‘rooted’ PWYP regional network  First regional discussions began in 2004/2005  Now: more than 100 affiliated PWYP member organisations in 31 countries (including PWYP coalitions in 20 countries)  A full-time PWYP Africa Coordinator based in Accra, Ghana (Carlo Merla)  Regional governance structure: national coalitions plus a regional coordinator (supervised by a management committee), action work-plans, regional and sub-regional strategy meetings  Emphasis remains upon national civil society coalitions, to ensure local ownership and independence

The PWYP-Africa story 2004  Launch of first African national PWYP coalitions: Congo- Brazzaville (2003), Chad and Nigeria (both 2004) 2005  First PWYP Africa regional workshop, Pointe-Noire, Republic of Congo (February 2005)  Civil society from six African countries (Congo-Brazzaville, Chad and Nigeria coalitions; representatives also from Cameroon, DRC and Angola)  Purpose: to develop a coordinated CSO strategy to ensure consistent standards of EITI implementation across the Gulf of Guinea region

The PWYP-Africa story Pointe-Noire specific outputs / outcomes:  To facilitate information exchange on best practices and lessons learned (especially in context of similar socio- political and economic constraints);  To collaborate on joint-advocacy initiatives at sub- regional level (Gulf of Guinea)  To encourage creation of new PWYP national platforms (and to strengthen existing ones)  To organise capacity-building (at regional/national levels)  To harmonise support from donors and technical partners

The PWYP-Africa story December 2005:  Second PWYP-Africa regional strategy meeting – Kribi, Cameroon  CSO representatives from 16 west and central African countries  Evolution into a ‘pan-African’ initiative  Creation of an “ad-hoc” committee to recommend on future institutional structure  A new Africa Regional Coordinator (Matteo Pellegrino)  Elaboration of a Regional Strategy / 2006 Action-Plan

The PWYP-Africa story 2006 Regional Action plan: Purpose: to formalise regional cooperation (“consolidate the regional framework of the campaign”) and to enhance coordination of financial / technical partners. Priority areas identified:  Creation of a regional network (incl. governance structure) to coordinate national coalition activities  Training and capacity development for members  Coordination of financial and technical partners  Encourage creation of new national coalitions  Information exchange between national coalitions  Collaborative advocacy (to governments / companies) added-value

The PWYP-Africa story Africa Coordinator (role/mandate):  Communication and information management for the network: facilitate information exchange between national platforms at regional level  Advocacy support: integrate regional priorities into the international PWYP campaign; coordinate regional advocacy interventions  Capacity-building: facilitate training (at regional / national levels) in response to identified needs  Coordination with national coalitions: maintaining “cohesion”  Campaigner protection added-value

The PWYP-Africa story Africa Coordinator (supervision and management):  Hosted by Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Accra, Ghana  Strategic direction is given by the African national coalitions  Supervised by a management committee, comprised of: International PWYP Coordinator, ‘host’ agency and RWI.  Role of the management committee: to manage and support the Africa Coordinator (oversee regional budget, assist Coordinator in prioritization of activities; and administer salary, travel funds, etc). added-value

The PWYP-Africa story 2007:  Limbe, Cameroon (March, 2007)  Idea for regional governance structure mooted  Follow-up meeting in Libre-ville, Gabon (June 2007) 2008:  New PWYP Africa Coordinator in post (Marie-Ange Kalenga)  PWYP Africa Regional Meeting – Abuja, Nigeria  Proposal for a regional governance structure (to ensure distinct African identity and ownership of the PWYP campaign)

The PWYP-Africa story Regional Action plan (developed in Abuja) : Six priority areas identified:  Advocacy (including EITI and regional / IFI advocacy targets)  Operations and networking  Communication and information dissemination  Campaigners’ protection  Capacity development  Regional governance added-value

The PWYP-Africa story 2010 :  Marie-Ange Kalinga leaves (April 2010)  New Africa Coordinator recruited, Carlo Merla (October 2010)  Regional governance structure still under discussion:  Proposal to create three bodies: A General Assembly An executive committee A secretariat (consisting of the coordinator plus an administrative assistant 2011:  Next regional meeting: Kinshasa, DRC, February 2011?

Key points  A ‘de facto’ Africa regional model evolved... and it is still evolving.  Regional Coordinator position created in response to perceived need  Aims and objectives – similar to Eurasia..?

Lessons to learn  A regional campaign has served a very useful role in creating a distinct African identity / ‘face’ to the global PWYP campaign  It is helpful to have a regional ‘tier’ to the international campaign, because:  It facilitates information exchange / advocacy / capacity- support to coalitions from (broadly) similar socio-political contexts  It enables national coalitions to ‘feed up’ regional concerns to the international campaign PWYP broadly supports the notion of regional networks (in principle)…

Lessons to learn (cont’d)  We (PWYP) are still learning  There is no one ‘right’ way: regional networks may look different in different regions, for example –  Europe  LAC  Asia-Pacific  Middle East / North Africa  What about Eurasia?

Some principles to consider… Purpose  Be clear about objectives:  Simply information-sharing and exchange, or collaborative advocacy too? …Try not to be over- ambitious  Avoid duplication: What is the real added-value of a regional network vis-à-vis the existing national coalitions?

Some principles to consider (cont’d) Governance structures  Keep it lean: avoid the creation of heavy or bureaucratic structures (but some coordination structure and support is needed)  Ensure ownership by national coalitions  Agree on clear rules and working procedures to guide collaboration and interaction between coalitions and members (e.g. decision-making processes, internal and external communications (including sign-on for public statements)

Thank-you