Mohamed Adbellahi

Ever since I was young, I have always been committed to great causes. When I was very young I advocated in what we then called in Africa the progressive or revolutionary movements. Since, I have nurtured my ambition of serving my country, my people and above all fight for democracy, civic rights and later for good governance, transparency and the battle against corruption.
I’m conscious of the fact that the fight for transparency can help our country better use and benefit from its natural resources, therein lies my motivation.

I am a trained journalist and have also been an investigative journalist. For ten years, I have campaigned as part of civil society organisations and so in their call for information. If there is no transparency, I cannot have information. And if I cannot have information, I cannot give an opinion, take a position, act, or importantly contribute to change. I therefore campaign for transparency in order to access information, in order to be aware of what is happening and more particularly in the extractive sector as it is particularly opaque. My country, like many in Africa, is rich in natural resources that are not renewable. When they are properly managed, these resources can ensure the well-being of the people. However, when they are poorly managed, they can cause problems to our country and people – as has been the case elsewhere.