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

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

PWYP in the regions

Belgium, Denmark, France, Spain, UK

Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia,

Papua New Guinea, The PhilippinesTimor Leste

Canada,USA

Algeria, Yemen

Europe(EUR)

Sub-Saharan Africa(SSA)

Asia-Pacific(ASPAC)

Middle East, North Africa

(MENA)

Latin America(LA)

Central Asia, Caucuses

(CAC)

North America(NA)

PWYP INT’L

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 RepublicMongolia

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

2009-10 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