U.S.: A New Focus on Transparency at State Department
Revenue Watch has been excited to see U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton championing openness in government both at home and abroad. Marking "Freedom of Information Day" on March 16, Secretary Clinton said that United States was "ushering in a new era of transparency in government."
Clinton also cited these pivotal issues during her January confirmation hearings. During her introductory statements, Senator Clinton said that "helping African nations to conserve their natural resources and reap fair benefits from them" was among the top foreign policy objectives of the Obama administration, noting the links between equitable resource management to security, political, economic, and humanitarian interests.
Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) questioned Clinton about the "resource curse." Cardin said, "There is an effort made for transparency and extraction, so that we set up the model system for how a nation should handle how its mineral wealth is used for the benefit of the people of their own country. The United States is participating in that discussion. I think we could be more aggressive in trying to move forward."
In her response, Senator Clinton expressed interest in a "regulatory framework that would give both protection and incentives to mineral rich countries so that they would be able to stand up for their rights and then use the revenues in a very positive way to enhance the well being of their people."
Such a proposed regulatory framework already exists, in the form of the Extractive Industries Transparency Disclosure (EITD) Act, which was introduced to both houses of Congress in 2008, and which has enjoyed support from a growing number of sponsors.
Clinton also received a series of written questions from Senator Richard Lugar, ranking member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, who recently commissioned an analysis of more than 20 resource-rich countries, resulting in a Foreign Relations Committee report, "The Petroleum and Poverty Paradox." His questions to Clinton touched on the report’s recommendation that "the Secretary of State should exercise more effort on transparency issues, and build on international momentum for extractive industry transparency at the United Nations, at the EITI (Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative) secretariat and through our embassies."
Based on Secretary Clinton's testimony and her written responses to Senator Lugar's questions, Revenue Watch is optimistic that her continued promotion of transparency at home will be reflected in her diplomatic dealings with oil and resource-rich countries around the world, from Russia to Nigeria.
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 ...