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Période décisive pour la première vague de pays mettant en oeuvre l'ITIE

The EITI crossed an important milestone last week: 9 March was the deadline for the first 22 countries that became EITI Candidates in 2008 to complete an independent EITI Validation, the EITI’s quality assurance mechanism.

EITI Validation is an opportunity for countries to prove to their citizens and to the world that they have lived up to their pledges in fulfilling the EITI standards. Only two countries – Azerbaijan and Liberia - met the deadline.

However, it is abundantly clear that the Validation deadlines have worked to catalyse progress: never has there been so much activity and determination to improve transparency in the extractive sector in so many countries. In the last six months alone, the number of countries that have produced an EITI report has almost doubled to 21. Now almost all countries have asked for short extensions and are actively working to complete the validation process. The EITI Board will meet in Berlin in April and will assess each request on its own merit.

The Validation process is revealing a lot about what the EITI has achieved in implementing countries. Of the 22 countries, 19 of them have now disclosed the payments from their extractive sector in an EITI Report. In Nigeria, the EITI process has shed light on a complex labyrinth of opaque payments and transfers, and showed the way to a more open and effective management of the sector. Several recommendations are now being taken up in the country’s Petroleum Industry Bill.

In post-conflict countries like Liberia or the Democratic Republic of Congo, the EITI is part of a wider peace and reconciliation process. Azerbaijan now publishes reports on its oil income every six months, holding meetings that provide an unprecedented platform for civil society and companies to give input on natural resource management. The citizens of Equatorial Guinea and Timor Leste have for the first time access to information on state revenues from their oil industries.

In volatile states like Niger, Mauritania and Madagascar, the EITI creates a democratic space for citizens to contribute to their country’s development. Iraq and Afghanistan joined the process a month ago, showing determination against formidable odds.

We know that all the EITI implementing countries are at different stages of economic and political development. They are also at different levels of EITI implementation. The EITI’s supporters in industry, civil society and government can rest assured that, as we consider the lessons learned from last week’s deadline, and as we decide whether countries are meeting the EITI standard or not, we will act with utmost fairness.

We will also keep our sights firmly on seeing the EITI succeed in countries that suffer most deeply from the resource curse. The EITI will continue to support those EITI implementing countries that are making progress, and that are committed to development through better management of their natural resources.

Peter Eigen is Chair of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative.