KEYNOTE ADDRESS DELIVERED BY HIS EXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE, DR. ERNEST BAI KOROMA ON THE OCCASION OF THE LAUNCHING OF THE STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF THE POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE OIL AND GAS SECTOR AT THE BRITISH COUNCIL HALL ON TUESDAY 13th MARCH, 2012

Mr. Chairman,
Honourable Vice President,
Ministers of Government,
Hon. Members of Parliament,
Mayor, Freetown City Council,
Paramount Chiefs,
Your Excellencies, Members of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps,
Heads of Government Department and Local Government,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen

It is my privilege to deliver this keynote address and launch the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) scoping report for the potential development of the Oil and Gas sector in Sierra Leone.

Mr Chairman, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, our country is blessed with immense natural resources. However, although the exploitation of these resources have significant potential economic benefits they also have inevitable negative impacts on the biophysical environment and the lives of the people living around these areas. Evidence of these negative impacts is clearly visible in the mining areas of this country. We have no choice but to meet these challenges with well designed policies and robust implementation of these policies.

Mr. Chairman, Distinguished Guest, Ladies and Gentlemen, our country is on the verge of becoming an oil-producing nation. We very much aspire to utilize these oil and gas resources to create a prosperous nation. But we are also gathered here today to register our determination to protect our coastal communities and rich marine resources from environmental problems that could arise from our exploitation of these resources. This is of particular importance, when we recollect that because of uncontrolled and unsustainable exploitation the nation lost over 95% of its dense forest resources leaving only 5% to meet the needs of the entire populace. This tragedy could have been avoided had a Strategic Environmental Assessment been undertaken.

Mr. Chairman, we have as our priority to build a better Sierra Leone, and to tackle the challenges of environmental degradation which, if unchecked, threatens the natural foundations of our country. Let me assure you all that this government will go the extra mile to ensure that mistakes of the past are not repeated. My Government is determined to chart an economic path that is fair, inclusive, transparent and sustainable. We are therefore pleased to inform you that we have commenced work on a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the Potential Oil and Gas Development in Sierra Leone. Our primary aim in undertaking the SEA is to ensure that oil and gas finds here in Sierra Leone are exploited to secure the national interest and future economic prosperity, while supporting the social welfare of directly affected communities and protecting our environment.

Mr Chairman, the SEA process in Sierra Leone would provide prospective developers, coastal communities and civil society with a clear picture of the potential positive and negative consequences of commercial oil and gas deposits on the national and local economy, livelihoods and well-being of coastal communities and marine environment of Sierra Leone. As such it will provide a blue-print to guide decision-makers, investors, community leaders and civil society in responding to the development choices that may need to be made if commercial quantities of oil and gas are found.

Mr Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, a national steering committee comprised of all stakeholders in the oil and gas sector, the environment, natural resources management, fisheries and local communities has been constituted to move the entire process forward. Technical assistance for the process is being provided by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) West Africa which has substantial experience in promoting SEA in natural resource development. The process is co-chaired by the Environment Protection Agency, the Petroleum Resources Unit (PRU) and the Office of the Chief of Staff to ensure the whole process is participatory, focused and above all accountable to the people of Sierra Leone.

Mr Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen my presence at this launching ceremony underscores the importance this government places on ensuring proper management, conservation and sustainable utilization of our natural resources, particularly the Oil and Gas sector and I will therefore urge all to support the process.

It is now my honour to formally launch the Scoping Report of the Strategic Environmental Assessment for the Potential Development of the Oil and Gas Sector in Sierra Leone.

I thank you all for listening.