The Board approves São Tomé and Príncipe's request for extension of the reporting deadline and proportionate implementation.

São Tomé and Príncipe is eligible for an extension of the reporting deadline for FY 1 January 2018 – 31 December 2018. The deadline for the publication of the outstanding report is extended to 28 February 2021.

The EITI Board accepts São Tomé and Príncipe’s multi-stakeholder group’s proposal for proportionate implementation. The request is granted for the reporting period 2018-2022. Thereafter, São Tomé and Príncipe’s multi-stakeholder group should review progress and consider whether a further request is necessary.  

In taking this decision, the EITI Board notes that São Tomé and Príncipe joined the EITI to ensure that stakeholders could effectively monitor the management of its nascent oil sector, which remains at exploration stage. As the economic significance of the sector is currently limited, the Board agrees that a tailored, more cost-efficient approach to EITI implementation is sensible. 

The EITI Board welcomes the continued commitment from the government and multi-stakeholder group to transparency and good governance, and efforts to systematically disclose more timely information required by the EITI Standard through government websites. Unilateral disclosures of government revenues at a project level and other EITI data on government websites will reduce the cost of implementation and strengthen government systems. The multi-stakeholder group will continue overseeing the progress with implementing disclosures as required by the EITI, and ensure that disclosures are comprehensive and reliable. The MSG is encouraged to consider nationally relevant topics beyond the EITI Requirements in its next work plan.