The Kyrgyz EITI Secretariat hosted an international conference on “Experience of Implementation of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative” on 14-15 September at Lake Issyk-Kul in Kyrgyzstan. The conference included Kyrgyz government representatives, delegations from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Tajikistan, civil society organizations, mining companies and development institutions.
Kyrgyzstan started its EITI process in 2004. Their second EITI Report covering payments from 26 mining companies in 2008 was launched at the conference, including an annex providing data from the years 2004-2007.
“The approval of this report is a milestone for the EITI in Kyrgyzstan.” said EITI Regional Director Sam Bartlett on his departure from Issyk-Kul. “It is also greatly encouraging that the stakeholder council is preparing for EITI Validation. This conference has provided an important opportunity to discuss how to increase public awareness of the EITI in Kyrgyzstan."
According to the Kyrgyz EITI Secretariat, the issuance of this second report is the beginning of a growing need for transparency and disclosure in the country’s extractive sector. “In order to make transparency a norm of economic life in the country, there is a need to publicise reports on all payments. The number of reports will grow, since the demands of the general public with regard to increased transparency in activities will grow too”, said the Kyrgyz EITI Secretariat to the press.
As an EITI Candidate country, Kyrgyzstan has now until March 2010 to undertake EITI Validation and become EITI Compliant.
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