Andre Bourassa Email & Phone Number

Gatineau/Ottawa

While I continue to work with SOPAR as a volunteer, I have now returned to work as a consultant in the mining sector. My area of expertise and interest is the sustainable development contribution of mining particularly in developing countries. This includes working on mineral policy development and implementation, capacity building particularly for government officials and industry, and also the management of social and community relations and development. Most of my work is now in Africa, particularly in French speaking Africa. I look for contract work but would consider full or part time positions if offered the right challenge. I can travel or to most countries.

Montreal, Canada Area

École Polytechnique de Montréal is a Partner of the Canadian International Resource and Development Institute (CIRDI). I contribute advice on target countries, strategies, action plans and activities that will help enhance the governance capacity of the extractive sector in those countries. Work is primarily focused on governments but also stakeholders. I am involved as well in the direct implementation of some of those initiatives. The region of intervention at this time is West Africa.

Gatineau, Qc, Canada.

With SOPAR (www.sopar.ca) since 1988 as a volunteer. SOPAR is an international development NGO working in India for 35 years. SOPAR focuses on sustainable community development in rural India, mainly in the state and Andhra Pradesh, through its sister Indian NGO, Bala Vikasa (www.balavikasa.org). SOPAR helps communities develop the capacity to take charge of their own development. Through its People Development Training Center (PDTC), Bala Vikasa shares its development methodology and expertise with NGOs from around the world. NGOs from over 27 countries (mostly Asia and Africa) have come to the PDTC for this training. (See http://www.balavikasa.org/pdtc_aboutpdtc.html). I have been SOPAR'S Director General twice, the last term ending in March 2013. I continue to be a Board member and active volunteer of SOPAR and am presently Vice-President.

Ottawa

Sponsored by the Governmemnts of Canada and South Africa, I started negotiations for the establishment of this Forum on the margins of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg. Inaugurated in 2005, I then became the Secretary of the Forum. The Forum aims to promote the good governance of the mining sector in developing countries. It has 43 member countries represented through senior officials of their Ministry of Mines. The Forum is a policy forum that also aims to give a global voice to mining officials on mining related policy issues. It deals with all issues related to sustainable development, be they social, environmental and economic. As the key outcome of its multi-year work program, the IGF prepared for the 2009 UNCSD meeting, a document called a "Mining Policy Framework". It summarizes the views of the members on what represents good governance in the mining sector. It was acknowledged at the UNCSD meeting as a key global reference for good governance of the mineral sector. It has now received similar recognition at G8 and G20 meetings. It is now widely used to evaluate a country's capacity for good governance.

Ottawa

The International Council on Mining and the Environment (ICME) was an international mining industry association. It was the predecessor organisation to the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM).

Ottawa

Working for the Governments of Canada, Ministry of Natural Resources. The work focused on mining/metal sector related issues including.- Researching the economic, trade, environmental, health and development issues affecting the mining/metal sector;- Developing integrated policies and strategies to address those issues;- Lobby multilateral bodies, governments, industry and other groups to promote support and adoption of policies and strategies that supported the interests of Canada in the sector.

M.A., Resource Economics

B. Sc.A, Engineering Physics

B.A., Humanities