The Center of Excellence of the Catholic University of Bukavu (UCB) welcomes, from Tuesday 16 to Thursday 19 March 2020, the final-year students of the universities and higher institutes Bukavu for a sensitization on the governance of the mining sector and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI-DRC).

The Expertise Center on Mining Governance, in collaboration with the Technical Secretariat of EITI-DRC and GIZ, is organizing an sensitization seminar on the governance of the mining sector and the EITI for students of the Catholic University of Bukavu (UCB), the Official University of Bukavu (UOB), the Evangelical University in Africa (UEA), the Higher Institute of Development (ISDR) and the Higher Institute of Commerce (ISC) in the Conference Hall of the Center of Excellence of UCB in Bugabo Campus.

This sensitization project aims at promoting scientific research in the mining sector and more specifically on the EITI in order to improve the theoretical and empirical knowledge of the student community of Bukavu on the mechanisms of good governance of the mining sector in DRC for a better contribution of youth to the EITI process and to a good governance of the extractive sector.

Following a call for participation launched in December 2019 in favor of final-year students of the academic institutions of Bukavu, 150 students were selected to participate in this seminar.

During this seminar, different topics relating to the extractive sector and the EITI were developed respectively by Mr. Gabriel KAMUNDALA and Mr. Frank NZIRA, respectively CEGEMI and EITI-DRC experts. Mr. Gabriel KAMUNDALA talked about the curse of natural resources before handing the mic to Mr. Frank NZIRA who talked about the EITI standard and the use of data contained in the EITI reports. These topics will incite students to propose projects in the mining extraction sector and EITI in their respective domains.

At the end of this seminar, each student will present a project relating to the extractive sector; 30 best proposals representing at least the domain of Law, Economics, Environment, Geology, Development and Taxes will be selected. Having been selected as relevant and feasible, a supervisor will be in charge of supporting students in their respective institutions. During the preparation period, students will have free access to UCB library and internet as well as to the documentation provided by CEGEMI and the EITI-DRC Technical Secretariat.

Note that the six best project will be published during a ceremony to be organized by CEGEMI in collaboration with the various implementing partners of the project.