Joyce Kortlandt
Technical sectretary
Independant advice on the Terms of Reference for updating the Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment (SESA) of the mining sector.
Significant details
The Ministry of Energy, Mines and Quarries in Burkina Faso is updating the Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment of the mining sector, and asked the NCEA for technical advice. The NCEA welcomed the initiative and provided two advices: an advice on the methodological note (June 2023) and an advice on the terms of reference (October 2023).
The process advice on the methodological note was prepared by the NCEA secretariat. Next to the need for linking the SESA with a PPP, the process advice noted the need for a scoping phase. The NCEA was happy to read that this phase was included in the Terms of Reference of September 2023.
The advice on the Terms of Reference was prepared by a working group of experts. The most important comment was that in order to be effective, the SESA needs to be linked to a specific programme, plan or policy (PPP). This is missing in the current Terms of Reference. In addition to this shortcoming, the advice includes additional observations and recommendations on the definition of objectives, results and deliverables; the content of the SESA; and the SESA process.