The stakeholder engagement activities are being undertaken in accordance with the requirements laid out in the Draft Public Participation Guideline currently in preparation for MONREC and cognisant of best practice standards and guidelines such as those published by the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

As part of the early stage stakeholder engagement activities SLP Environmental used a variety of rapid social survey techniques and these included pilot questionnaire surveys, semi-structured interviews and initial discussions with focus groups and key informants to; identify potential stakeholders (Stakeholder ID), gauge public opinion and build relationships with the community at the early planning stage of the project and provide input into the development of a robust socio-economic profile of the projects Area of Influence (AOI).

SLP has prepared the Outline Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) for the project which sets out the proposed methodologies and mechanisms for Stakeholder Identification, Project Disclosure, Public Participation and Grievance Management. The SEP is a living document which will be updated and revised as necessary during the phased development and implementation stages of the Project.

SLP Environmental will organise public consultation activities at various stages of the project development cycle in accordance with the principle of Informed Consultation and Participation. The extent and depth of stakeholder engagement activities will be tailored to the predicted magnitude of the projects adverse impacts and the concerns raised by project affected people during the initial stakeholder engagement process.

Focus group discussions with vulnerable groups and disadvantaged peoples were held at the early stage of the project in order to understand the perspectives, concerns and aspirations of what are often the most disenfranchised and unempowered members of society.