Integrity Watch Liberia (IWL) has commissioned an independent civil society-led assessment of the Mineral Development Agreements (MDAs) of ArcelorMittal Liberia (AML) and Bea Mountain Mining Corporation (BMMC), amid growing attention to transparency, government revenue and community benefits in Liberia's mining sector.

IWL Monitoring and Evaluation Officer Eliza Attu said the assessment will examine whether the two mining companies are meeting their contractual obligations and whether the Government of Liberia and affected communities are receiving the benefits anticipated under the agreements.

Speaking to journalists, Attu said the assessment will focus on four major areas: fiscal integrity and economic benefits, production verification and revenue assurance, environmental compliance, and community development performance.

She said the review will specifically examine tax and royalty payments, government equity and dividends, production reporting, environmental management and rehabilitation, as well as commitments made to communities under the respective agreements.

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According to Attu, the assessment is intended to provide an independent picture of how the agreements are being implemented and identify any gaps or risks requiring further attention.

To conduct the review, she said the assessment team will examine relevant Mineral Development Agreements and amendments, company financial and annual reports, production and export data, Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI) records and other relevant government documents.

The process will also include interviews with government institutions and representatives of the mining companies, consultations with affected communities and visits to mining sites.

Attu disclosed that IWL has engaged AOKO Tax and Strategy Consultants to undertake the assessment.

The consultancy is expected to produce an independent, evidence-based report detailing findings, gaps, risks and areas that may require further action by policymakers, regulators, civil society organizations and other stakeholders.

The assessment comes as Liberia continues to rely heavily on the extractive sector for government revenues, foreign exchange, employment and economic activity, while questions surrounding the implementation of mining agreements remain important to public accountability.

IWL said its review will not be limited to government revenue but will also examine environmental obligations and the extent to which mining communities are benefiting from commitments contained in the agreements.

The organization said production verification and revenue assurance will be important components of the exercise, particularly in determining whether reported production and exports correspond with the fiscal obligations of the companies.

Environmental compliance will also be assessed, including the management of environmental impacts and rehabilitation responsibilities associated with mining operations.

On community development, the assessment will examine the companies' commitments to affected communities and the extent to which those obligations are being implemented.

IWL said the findings are expected to contribute to more informed discussions on transparency and accountability in Liberia's mining sector, while providing stakeholders with evidence that can support policy and regulatory decisions.

The organization said the assessment ultimately seeks to strengthen public understanding of how major Mineral Development Agreements are being implemented and whether the economic, environmental and social benefits anticipated from the agreements are being delivered.

The final report is expected to identify areas of good performance as well as gaps and risks, giving policymakers, regulators, communities, civil society organizations and other stakeholders a basis for further engagement on Liberia's mining governance.

The assessment of the AML and BMMC agreements is therefore positioned as a civil society effort to independently examine the fiscal, environmental and community-development dimensions of two of Liberia's major mining operations.