Transparency Initiative Faces Crucial Test as Countries Struggle to Meet Deadline

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New York—As 22 countries in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) faced a deadline today for completing their national validation processes, the Revenue Watch Institute called for clear and consistent standards in the Initiative's response to the 20 countries whose validation work unfortunately remains incomplete.

The eight-year old EITI has broken new ground in establishing public disclosure of oil, gas and mining payments to governments as an international norm and in creating vital national platforms where citizens, governments and companies sit together to discuss the management of these revenue streams. A total of 32 countries have committed to implement the EITI, most recently including Iraq and Afghanistan.

Validation is the EITI's "quality assurance" mechanism, in which each country conducts an independent audit of the steps it has taken to meet all EITI requirements. Countries are required to undergo validation two years after signing on.

"It is disappointing that so few implementing countries have completed their validation work in time," said Karin Lissakers, Director of the Revenue Watch Institute.

"We are hopeful that many of the countries unable to meet today's deadline can complete their processes under a reasonable extension from the board of the EITI. However, Revenue Watch will join its civil society partners around the world in insisting on a fully transparent process for the granting of any validation extensions, and strict application of future deadlines and EITI rules," added Lissakers.

During 2009, Liberia and Azerbaijan became the first two countries ruled compliant by the EITI's governing board. The example of Liberia, a resource rich developing nation still recovering from civil war, demonstrates that even poor countries struggling to manage their oil and mineral wealth can deliver on the commitment to transparency and responsibility that the EITI represents.

Anthony Richter, chairman of the Revenue Watch Institute, called today's deadline a "crucial test" for the EITI. "This is the first such deadline in the EITI's history," said Richter, who is also a member of the EITI board. "Country performance and the EITI's forthcoming response will set precedents for the enforcement of transparency standards both within and beyond the Initiative."

The status of the 20 countries that have not completed the validation process will be considered by the EITI board at a meeting on April 15-16.

Further information on the EITI validation deadline and the response of civil society groups is available at www.eitransparency.org and www.publishwhatyoupay.org.

CONTACT:
Kathryn Joyce, +1 347 804-4459, kjoyce@revenuewatch.org

LEARN MORE

• Global Oil and Mining Transparency Initiative Arrives at Key Deadline (Publish What You Pay)
• PWYP's Short Guide to EITI Validation (Publish What You Pay)
• EITI Country Validation Deadline Chart (Publish What You Pay)
• Peter Eigen: Validation Deadlines Are Spurring Activity to Improve Transparency (EITI)
• Many Countries Failing to Implement Oil and Mining Industry Anti-Corruption Initiative (Oxfam International)
• AZERBAIJAN: The Path to EITI Validation
• Revenue Watch Praises Liberia for Milestone Approval on Transparency Practices