GLOBAL COALITION SIGNS UP TO NEW RULES FOR TRANSPARENCY ON OIL, GAS AND MINING MONEY
(Una coalición global firma unas nuevas normas para los dineros del petróleo, del gas y de las minas)

New rules to fight corruption and promote transparency in oil and mining revenues were agreed in London today by an international conference attended by governments, multinational companies, campaigning groups, and international bodies.

The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) conference agreed a set of criteria that all countries need to meet to increase transparency – publication and reconciliation of payments and revenues; independent audits; extending the approach to all companies; engaging with civil society; and a costed timetable for implementation.

UK Secretary of State for International Development Hilary Benn said:
“Our experience in the four countries that have piloted EITI – Azerbaijan, Ghana, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Nigeria – is that while different countries have taken different approaches to implementation, this needs to be backed up by clear international rules of the game for the initiative to be effective and credible.”
Hilary Benn also called for a way of measuring performance against those rules, in announcing the establishment of an international advisory group to take forward EITI and to consider this further over the next year. He said:

“The lead role of developing country governments and the UK in the early phases of EITI has been vital. EITI is now on the threshold of becoming a truly international initiative with clear rules. That means that a broader group needs to be established to advise those involved in the initiative.”

The governments of Niger and Cameroon today committed to implement the initiative, joining the nine countries which have already started to implement it: Azerbaijan, Congo, East Timor, Ghana, Kyrgyz Republic, Nigeria, Peru, Sao Tome e Principe, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Hilary Benn commended the recent progress in these countries:
“The publication this week of Azerbaijan’s first EITI report is a great step forward, as is the considerable progress that has been made in East Timor, the Kyrgyz Republic and Nigeria in improving transparency. I also welcome the decision of Niger and Cameroon to begin implementing the initiative.”

He also acknowledged the role that had been played by donors and international financial institutions in the initiative
“I thank the French, Norwegian, and US governments for their support, and commend the ongoing work of the World Bank, the IMF, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in supporting the initiative.”

The conference was addressed by James Wolfenson, President of the World Bank, Jean Lemierre, President, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD); Prime Minister Alkatiri of East Timor; ministers from a number of countries including France, the US, Nigeria, the Kyrgyz Republic and Trinidad and Tobago; senior representatives from companies such as Shell, ChevronTexaco, Total, Anglo American, F&C Asset Management; and civil society organisations including the Open Society Initiative and Transparency International.

Case studies of EITI implementation
Implementation is still at an early stage – with only Azerbaijan and the Kyrgyz Republic having actually published numbers under EITI. However there has been considerable progress across all nine countries. As implementation gathers pace we will see a sea change in the way that the oil, gas and mining sectors contribute to a country’s development. Three examples of recent progress are:

São Tomé e Principe is one of the newest oil producers in Africa. Many of the population currently live in poverty but the government has recognised that transparently managed oil has the potential to make a real difference to people´s lives. In December 2004, President Fradique de Menezes signed a law governing the receipt, investment and use of oil payments to best promote the economic and social progress of the country. The law provides public access to information on all payments into the fund. At the signing, the President said, ”Nothing will be hidden, nothing will be wasted”.

Azerbaijan was one of the first countries to commit to EITI in late 2003. This week the Government of Azerbaijan’s national commission on EITI published its first reports. The reports, covering payments by oil companies and receipts by the government, were compiled by an independent auditor. The process was designed and supported by a coalition of government bodies, companies, and local civil society groups who signed a Memorandum of Understanding in November 2004.

Nigeria is in the process of appointing the auditor for EITI implementation. The President has issued a directive to government departments and oil companies requesting full collaboration with the Nigeria EITI auditors and ensuring that security is provided for the auditing teams. The audits will cover the past 5 years (1999-2004) and a multi-stakeholder working group – with representatives of government, industry and NGOs – will oversee the audit and receive monthly audit reports. The auditors have been appointed this month to carry out a financial audit aimed at getting a reconciled picture of who has paid money, how much and to whom.

Further examples are on the EITI website (www.eitransparency.org) and in the EITI Source book.

Notes for editors:
More information on the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) can be found at www.eitransparency.org

The EITI was launched by Tony Blair in September 2002. It seeks to increase the transparency of payments by oil, gas, and mining companies to governments, as well as the transparency of the revenues received by governments. The aim is to ensure that revenues from the extractive industries fulfil their potential as an important engine for economic growth and social development in developing countries, instead of leading to conflict, corruption, and poverty.

The EITI London Conference 2005 follows on from an earlier EITI Conference held at Lancaster House in June 2003. Since then implementation has begun in nine countries - Azerbaijan, Congo, Ghana, Kyrgyz Republic, Nigeria, Peru, Sao Tome e Principe, East Timor and Trinidad and Tobago. Implementation is still at an early stage – with only Azerbaijan and the Kyrgyz Republic having actually published numbers under EITI. However there has been considerable progress towards increased transparency across all nine countries.

The new EITI Criteria are contained with the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Source book, published today. Copies are available at
http://www.eitransparency.org/docs/sourcebookmarch05.pdf or via the DFID press office.

The report of the Commission for Africa – released on 11 March – recommended that the EITI be strengthened and called on all resource-dependent African countries to implement EITI. The UK is seeking G8 support for this recommendation at the G8 Gleneagles Summit.


Foro Solidario por Guinea Ecuatorial
Miembro de la Coalición de organizaciones PWYP (Publish What You Pay) promotoras de la iniciativa EITI (Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative ) Iniciativa por la Transparencia en las Industrias Extractivas.

Nota.- El gobierno de Guinea Ecuatorial, dentro de sus estrategias de engaño permanente, se ha ofrecido a participar en la EITI. Foro Solidario ha elaborado un comunicado sobre este intento, que publicamos más tarde en este medio y en las páginas de la asociación:
http://www.fsge.org/
http://www.forosolidario.org/


Fuente: Ministerio de Desarrollo (cooperacion internaciona

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