Search
  1. Home
  2. West Africa
  3. Sierra Leone

Diamond and gold proceeds for reconstruction

    ABIDJAN

    Under an act passed on Thursday by parliament, proceeds from the sale of Sierra Leone's gold and diamonds will enter a special treasury account for development, Information Minister Julius Spencer told IRIN on Monday. He said the new legislation was in compliance with the provisions of the Lome agreement.

    This agreement states that money raised from gold and diamond sales would be used for education, public health, rehabilitation, reconstruction and compensation for incapacitated war victims.

    The act also lays the groundwork for the creation of the Commission for the Management of Strategic Resources, National Reconstruction and Development to manage Sierra Leone's mineral resources.

    Chaired by RUF leader Foday Sankoh, the commission's governing board will also include two government representatives appointed by President Kabbah, two representatives from the RUF, two from other political parties and three from civil society.

    Under the Lome accord the Commission will issue monthly reports, including the details of all the transactions relating to gold and diamonds, and other licenses or concessions or natural resources, and its own administrative costs.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

    Share this article

    Our ability to deliver compelling, field-based reporting on humanitarian crises rests on a few key principles: deep expertise, an unwavering commitment to amplifying affected voices, and a belief in the power of independent journalism to drive real change.

    We need your help to sustain and expand our work. Your donation will support our unique approach to journalism, helping fund everything from field-based investigations to the innovative storytelling that ensures marginalised voices are heard.

    Please consider joining our membership programme. Together, we can continue to make a meaningful impact on how the world responds to crises.

    Become a member of The New Humanitarian

    Support our journalism and become more involved in our community. Help us deliver informative, accessible, independent journalism that you can trust and provides accountability to the millions of people affected by crises worldwide.

    Join