Civil society members in Niger return to the EITI process

On 28 September 2009, the members of civil society have decided to return to work with the EITI national committee in Niger. This decision follows the provisional release of Marou Amadou and Wada Maman, two civil society members in Niger. The civil society representatives on the committee in Niger had suspended their participation in the EITI process on 16 August 2009 after incidents of harassment and intimidation had occured against civil society activists campaigning for good governance and transparency in Niger.

In a statement released on 28 september 2009, civil society announced it would again participate in the EITI process, but urges the Niger government  to “fully respect the democratic principles which Niger has signed up to by guaranteeing the right to legal activity of independent associations of civil society."

For more information about EITI implementation in Niger, contact Tim Bittiger at the EITI International Secretariat.