Peru and Mauritania were this week found to be in compliance with the EITI standard. The EITI (Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative) is the global standard that ensures accountability and transparency of the revenues from a country’s extractive sector. The international EITI Board announced that the two countries have been accepted as “EITI Compliant” at its meeting at Wiston House in the United Kingdom.
Clare Short, Chair of the international EITI Board congratulates Peru and Mauritania saying, “Peru is a leader in natural resource transparency in Latin America, in particular in disclosing payments at the local as well as the national level. Mauritania has overcome challenging circumstances and demonstrated sustained commitment and leadership in their EITI. I would like to congratulate the government, civil society organisations and companies that have driven the process in both countries. I welcome Peru’s commitment to advance transparency regionally, and Mauritania’s plan to expand their EITI into fisheries.”
14 countries are now EITI Compliant. EITI compliance means that the country has an effective process for annual disclosure and reconciliation of all revenues from its extractive sector, allowing citizens to see how much their country receives from oil, gas and mining companies.
The decisions of the EITI Board on the EITI status of Mauritania, Peru, Cameroon and Kazakhstan.
MAURITANIA
The EITI Board designates Mauritania as EITI Compliant as of 15 February 2012. In accordance with the EITI Rules:
- Mauritania must be revalidated within 5 years (i.e., by 14 February 2017);
- Stakeholders in the process may call for a new validation at any time within that period if they think the process needs reviewing;
- Where valid concerns exist that a country has become EITI Compliant, but its implementation of the EITI has subsequently fallen below the standard required for Compliance, then the Board reserves the right to require the country to undergo a new validation or face delisting from the EITI; and
- In accordance with the transition procedures for the 2011 edition of the EITI Rules agreed by the EITI Board on 9 June 2011, Mauritania is encouraged to make the transition to the 2011 edition of the EITI Rules as soon as possible. In particular, Mauritania is required to produce EITI reports annually. EITI Reports should cover data no older than the second to last complete accounting period (e.g. an EITI Report published in calendar/financial year 2013 should be based on data no later than calendar/financial year 2011);
The Board congratulates the government of Mauritania for its sustained commitment and leadership of the EITI process. The Board also congratulates the Comité National for its efforts and effective leadership in EITI implementation. The Board calls on the government and multi-stakeholder working group to ensure that the Board’s recommendations are implemented in full, and tasks the EITI International Secretariat with providing regular progress reports to the EITI Board.
PERU
The EITI Board designates Peru as EITI Compliant as of 15 February 2012. In accordance with the EITI Rules:
- Peru must be revalidated within 5 years (i.e., by 14 February 2017);
- Stakeholders in the process may call for a new validation at any time within that period if they think the process needs reviewing; and
- Where valid concerns exist that a country has become EITI Compliant, but its implementation of the EITI has subsequently fallen below the standard required for Compliance, then the Board reserves the right to require the country to undergo a new validation or face delisting from the EITI;
- And in accordance with the transition procedures for the 2011 edition of the EITI rules agreed by the EITI Board on 9 June 2011, Peru is encouraged to make the transition to the 2011 edition of the EITI rules as soon as possible. In particular, Peru is required to produce EITI reports annually. EITI reports should cover data no older than the second to last complete accounting period (e.g. an EITI report published in calendar/financial year 2013 should be based on data no later than calendar/financial year 2011);
The Board congratulates the government of Peru for its commitment to the EITI process. The Board also congratulates the Comision Nacional of the EITI for its strong collaboration and effective oversight of EITI implementation, especially in the past few months to respond to the concerns of the Board. The Board also welcome the Government of Peru’s commitment to further strengthen transparency in the Peruvian extractive sector and advancing transparency regionally.
CAMEROON
The EITI Board has decided that the EITI Candidate status of Cameroon is renewed for 18 months (until 15 August 2013), by which time Cameroon will be required to have completed an EITI Validation that demonstrates compliance with the 2011 edition of the EITI Rules. If Cameroon does not achieve Compliant status by 15 August 2013, it will be de-listed. The provisions of Requirement 5(e) in the 2011 edition of the EITI Rules regarding regular and timely reporting will be mandatory after 31 December 2012.
The Cameroon multi-stakeholder group should agree and publish a new work plan within three months (by 13 May 2012) that addresses the corrective actions agreed by the Board, sets out the actions needed to achieve compliance with the 2011 edition of the EITI Rules, and includes a schedule for a new validation to be completed by 15 August 2013.
In taking this decision the Board called on the government to renew its commitment to the EITI, and requested that the International Secretariat together with supporting organisations take steps to encourage stakeholders to continue their work towards achieving Compliance.
KAZAKHSTAN
The Board concludes that Kazakhstan has not completed the remedial actions requested by the Board. The Board decides that Kazakhstan will retain its status as a Candidate country, subject to a clearly defined and agreed work plan for achieving compliant status, including a schedule for its next Validation.
In accordance with the transition procedures for the 2011 Edition of the EITI Rules, the Board agreed that Kazakhstan will have its candidacy renewed for 18 months (i.e. until 15 August 2013), by which time it must have completed a Validation that demonstrates compliance with the 2011 edition of the EITI Rules, including requirement 5(e) regarding regular and timely reporting. If Kazakhstan does not achieve Compliant status by this deadline it will be de-listed.
It was agreed that the National Stakeholders Council (NSC) should agree and publish a new workplan that addresses the actions needed to achieve Compliance with the 2011 edition of the EITI Rules, including a schedule for a new Validation to be completed by 15 August 2013.
The Board also called on the government of Kazakhstan to renew its commitment to the EITI, and requests that the International Secretariat together with supporting organisations takes steps to encourage stakeholders to quickly resume their work towards achieving Compliance.
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