Fast Publishing: ALSF Co-Authors Mining PSC Guide in 5 Days
A publication first of its kind, the African Legal Support Facility (ALSF) responded to the call of its Regional Member Countries (RMCs) to develop a manual focused on understanding and implementing Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) in the mining sector. This guide is specifically tailored to African mining environments and was created using the hyper-collaborative and fast publishing Book Sprint method.
Mobilizing Global Expertise
Building on the success of the model in the oil sector, several African countries are now attempting to transpose this mechanism to mining. To guide this pursuit, the ALSF mobilized a global team of experts for a Book Sprint held from 29th September to 4th of October.
ALSF Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) Mining Sprint Experts (Left to Right): Mamadou Ciré Diallo, Daniel Dumas, Thierry Rousseau, Yves Baratte, Joël SANON, Maude Vallée, Mamadou Coulibaly, Mariame Y. Bah, Landry Filiga OUEDRAOGO, Bruno Gay,Yannick BOUTERIGE, Mouhamed KEBE, Moussa Sanoussi, Moez Ajmi
The goal: to establish agreements that successfully balance the need to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) with the imperative of increasing domestic revenue mobilization toward sustainable mining development.
The expert team—which included lawyers, economists, tax specialists, and a geologist from Africa, Europe, and North America—brought proven knowledge of global and continental dynamics. This diverse mix of expertise was a major asset in reflecting the reality on the ground and the complexity of the subject in the final document.
The Challenge: Conciseness and Consensus
The Sprint took place in a very friendly atmosphere at Domaine de Cicé-Blossac, France, providing a necessary balance to the complex subject matter. Connections were quickly established between the experts, and for the members of the ALSF organization itself, it was an opportunity to strengthen professional relationships.
The main challenges lay in managing complexity and achieving consensus quickly. Due to their professional background, many of the authors are accustomed to writing at length. They had to manage to be concise and simple in their writing—a considerable effort in a Sprint context. Reconciling different expert viewpoints also required time and careful channeling from the facilitators, proving the necessity of guided collaboration to keep the participants on track.
The Outcome: Direct Revenue Mobilization
As a next step, the ALSF will ensure the publication is made available for electronic download on the ALSF website, guarantee wide distribution through mining-focused platforms, and deliver it directly to relevant ministries in RMCs.
This manual represents a monumental step forward for African nations. By successfully co-authoring a comprehensive guide on Production Sharing Contracts using a fast publishing model, the ALSF has delivered its member countries the critical legal and economic knowledge required to increase domestic revenue mobilization and secure national sovereignty over their mining wealth.
The ALSF’s success is proof that complex knowledge does not require slow processes. If your institution needs to mobilize global expertise, secure consensus, and quickly publish a critical resource that drives revenue or policy, let’s do a Sprint! Reach out at contact@booksprints.net.