The EITI Blog

The EITI Blog gathers together ideas about the role of transparency and natural resources in creating economic growth and fighting poverty and corruption. The blog is authored by members of the EITI Secretariat and key stakeholders.

EITI Strategy Review: Everything on the Table, part 2

May 16th 2012 - 9:28PM ... Eddie Rich
(Part 2 of 2)In part 1, I wrote about how the EITI is evolving and improving. The Secretariat is delighted that there are now so many reports. We are heartened to see them being used more for analysis. We applaud the fact that they are deepening and widening in scope year-on-year, country-after-country. And that they link better with wider reforms and are more embedded into on-going government and accountability systems.We believe that these advances deserve proper quality assurance and recognition....Read More

EITI Strategy Review: Everything on the Table, part 1

May 16th 2012 - 9:03PM ... Eddie Rich
(Part 1 of 2)We all know the story so far: the EITI has got off to a good start. But as the 2011 evaluation of the EITI warns us, now is not the time to rest on our laurels.The principles established by the EITI Conference back in 2003 are not necessarily fulfilled by the EITI minimum standards, and the simple pass or fail benchmark is too crude for our present needs....Read More

KONY 2012, EITI and the "curse of doing something"

April 21st 2012 - 9:49AM ... Francisco Paris
If the cleverly orchestrated campaign has worked, your city is this morning plastered with big red posters with the picture of the war criminal Joseph Kony and the two words "KONY 2012". Perhaps as likely, your morning newspaper will include an article with fiercely worded criticism of the whole campaign....Read More

Mali: Suffering and hope amidst a gold rush

April 20th 2012 - 4:44PM ... Marie-Ange Kalenga
On 12 April, Dioncounda Traoré was sworn in as Mali’s interim president. The presidential inauguration closed weeks of a political imbroglio that saw a military coup and a Tuareg rebellion in the North. Did these events come as a surprise to Malians? Not really. Now, most wonder what’s in it for them and hope for a brighter future....Read More

Togo: A quiet revolution

April 12th 2012 - 4:47PM ... Marie-Ange Kalenga
"While it is the countries of the North who launched the EITI,it is our countries that need it the most."Parfait Dzivénou, national secretariat of EITI Togo. This week, Togo published its first EITI Report on the 2010 revenues from the mining and oil sectors. This is a "miracle" for some, as access to information on revenue generated by phosphate, limestone and other minerals has long been inaccessible, even taboo....Read More