Paris2011

Was the 5th EITI Global Conference in Paris just another huge, expensive and time-consuming development conference? To me, the answer was a resounding no, for three main reasons:...Read More

With one-third of the 35 implementing countries now compliant and many more working toward compliance in 2011, “what comes after validation?” was a recurring theme today.  At the same time, there was a palpable sense that we cannot move on without securing the gains made so far and addressing weaknesses to ensure EITI’s sustainability. Commentators from many camps stressed that much work remains to be done to address the prevailing “information asymmetry” among stakeholders at all levels of decision-making, especially among citizens....Read More

As an EITI practitioner for the past four years with in-depth experience in six implementing countries, the closing of the fifth global conference is a time to reflect for a moment on the bigger picture of where the initiative is headed.  The fifth conference builds on the “coming-of-age” feeling from Doha two years ago.  One phrase which a delegate used yesterday to describe EITI which has stuck in my head is “planetary thinking”.  In a way, it really captures what is happening to EITI right now, as the 1000 delegates from over 80 countries can also attest....Read More

Yemen was in the news again today. When the country’s delegation got the news that that the EITI Board declared their country one of the six newest ‘EITI Compliant’ countries—indeed the first EITI Compliant country in the deeply troubled Middle East—they were ebullient. The Board’s decision means Yemen joins the “EITI elite”, the 11 of 35 implementing countries which have now met all the criteria for the global standard for transparency in their respective oil, gas and mining sectors....Read More

The opening plenary session of the 2011 EITI Conference in Paris featured Richard Boucher, the Deputy Secretary General, OECD, Her Excellency Roza Otunbayeva, President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Christophe de Margerie, CEO, Total, Peter Voser, CEO, Shell, Bishop Louis Portella-Mbuyu, President, National Bishops Conference of Congo-Brazzaville and Simon Taylor, the founding Director of Global Witness.  The highlights from the presentations were as follows.  ...Read More

Many reasons.  It’s rewarding to be  a part of a global initiative which has achieved so much in a short time - 33 implementing countries with a total population of 880 million (and aiming for at least a billion by the end of this year).  All Board members have the privilege of working as a coalition team, consistently reaching consensus  - often after tough debate - between Governments, Civil society and Industry....Read More

The four biggest stories over the past year have arguably been:...Read More