RWI Advisors Travel to China and Mongolia for Exploratory Mission
At the beginning of January, Revenue Watch Legal Advisor Matt Genasci and Advisory Board members Robert Conrad and Joseph Bell traveled to Mongolia in conjunction with the Open Society Forum-Mongolia. During the five-day visit, which was organized at the request of the office of the Mongolian president, RWI met with members of the administration, various ministries and parliamentarians to discuss revenue management, contract monitoring and the possible development of a model contract for use in Mongolia's extractive deals.
While in Mongolia, RWI and OSF-Mongolia also held a public event to discuss contract transparency; contract administration, monitoring and enforcement; as well as the nation's recently-passed Human Development Fund Law—a vehicle for distributing revenue to citizens. Joseph Bell offered a critical appraisal of the law and its implications for pro-development investment strategies.
Mongolia recently completed negotiations for copper and gold extraction with Ivanhoe Mines. With the conclusion of the deal, the country is anticipating sizable revenues to begin flowing into country coffers. The forthcoming revenues further underscore the need for a well articulated development strategy.
RWI, in partnership with OSF-Mongolia, is continuing to work with Mongolia to plan for the effective management of its new revenue, including the drafting of a number of policy briefs for the president and the public, as well as possible articles in the national media that could reach a wider audience of the general population.
The trip also took Revenue Watch staff to China, where we are working with the U.K. Department for International Development (DFID), the Chinese Academy for Social Sciences and the EITI Secretariat to plan a workshop on voluntary standards, currently anticipated for this spring.
China's increasing importance as an international extractives player makes it a country of great interest to the transparency movement. Industry and government leaders have shown an encouraging appetite for conversation on resource management, and RWI will build on the dialogue at this spring's workshop and other possible meetings later this year.
LEARN MORE
U.S. Said to Allow Drilling Without Needed Permits - The New York Times
Australia Gas Deal Renews Tension - Financial Times
Charged With Fraud, Nigeria's Ruling Party Leader Resigns - Reuters
Western Senators Propose Ban on Pacific Drilling - The New York Times
To Limit Corruption around Mining in Africa, Follow the Money - The Globe and Mail
Court Backs Oil Project - The New York Times
Transparency Increases, But There Is Still a Long Way to Go - The Phnom Penh Post
IMF Develops Project to Help Africa Deal with Illicit Trade - African Manager
Three-day Conference on Africa's Natural Resources Starts in Tanzania - Standard Times Press
After Oil Rig Blast, BP Refused to Share Underwater Spill Footage - ABC News
Finger-Pointing, but Few Answers at Hearings on Drilling - The New York Times
Complaints Over U.N. Prize Sponsored by Equatorial Guinea's Obiang - Reuters
Guide: Community-Company Grievance Resolution for Australian Mining Industry - Oxfam Australia (pdf)
Cote D'Ivoire: President for Life, and Then Some - The New York Times
In Midst of Massive Spill, Oil Industry Fighting Transparency and Accountability - Oxfam America
Leaked Oil Contracts in DRC Threaten Resource Wars and $10 Billion Rip-Off by British Company - Carbon Web
Contracts Confidential: Ending Secret Deals in the Extractive Industries
Contract transparency is sorely needed to improve the management of natural resource wealth. In a new report from RWI, authors Peter Rosenblum and Susan Maples delve into government and private sector objections to contract disclosure and make conclusions about what information may legitimately and reasonably be kept confidential, and how civil society institutions can better confront the challenge of secret deals.
Learn more about the report ...
NEW TRANSLATION: Revenue Redistribution at the Local Level
Many resource-rich countries are attempting to compensate their producing regions through shares of resource revenues to be spent at the local level. In "Extractive Industries Revenues Distribution at the Sub-National Level," development economics consultant Matteo Morgandi presents a comparative analysis of international legislation for distribution of extractive revenues from across all levels of government. Prepared at the request of the Peruvian National Congress, the report studies the legislative practices of seven resource-rich countries to identify potential and address challenges. Please note that this report is now also available in Vietnamese.
Learn more ...