EITI Appoints Balde As Deputy Executive Director
The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) has appointed its Africa Director, Bady Baldé, as its Deputy Executive Director.
Balde is expected to combine the roles of Africa and Deputy Executive Director of the Oslo based organisation.
“I am delighted that Balde will take up the role of Deputy Executive Director at the EITI International Secretariat,” commented Mark Robinson, EITI’s Executive Director.
“Balde is an accomplished speaker and strategist, whose skills and substantial country experience will take the EITI forward, as it continues to raise the bar on extractives transparency,” Robinson said.
Balde joined the EITI in 2010 and has progressively assumed more responsibilities for its technical, country and policy work. He brings a wealth of both technical and political experience to this role, a statement by the EITI said.
He has also led the Secretariat’s work on several major policy areas. On commodity trading transparency, for example, Balde’s work has resulted in EITI transparency requirements on commodity trading and the establishment of the commodity trading working group.
As Africa Director, Balde oversees the International Secretariat’s work in 24 implementing countries in Africa. Over many years, he has worked to promote transparency and good governance in challenging environments such as the DRC, Chad and the Republic of the Congo. He is also substantially involved in outreach activities in countries such as Niger, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Uganda, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
“Taking on this role at such an exciting time in EITI’s history is a challenge I will relish,” says Balde. “Implementing the 2019 Standard requires a real step change in the level of support that the EITI International Secretariat offers to implementing countries. In parallel, we are seeking to integrate reporting into government and company systems in a way that will provide a new level of transparency in the industry.”
Before joining the EITI, Balde worked at the Central Bank of Guinea, the German Development Corporation and as a Consultant at the World Bank. In 2012, he was seconded as an expert in Natural Resources Governance in the Governance, Economic Reforms and Financial Management Department of the African Development Bank in Tunis.
He holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration in International Development from the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government, and a Maîtrise en Gestion des Entreprises from the University of Conakry.