The African Union Commission and the European Commission launched an Africa-EU Energy Partnership on 8 September. The Joint Statement on the Energy Partnership states that transparency is necessary to improve private investment in the energy sector. The EC and the AUC therefore calls for more countries to become members of the EITI, and to develop transparency guidelines for companies in the extractive sector.
This follows from the EU and AU commitments to support the EITI in the Joint AU-EU Strategy and Action Plan that was agreed in Lisbon last year. Exceptionally for a voluntary intiative, the EITI is now endorsed by the UN, G8, G20, EU, AU, and many other inter-governmental bodies.
