The EITI held its third regional conference in the Americas on 24 and 25 June in Lima, Peru. In her opening remarks, the Peruvian Minister of Energy and Mines Rosa María Ortiz proposed, “I am proud that we have just published our tenth EITI Report. We now need to seize the opportunity the EITI process provides to address the different challenges of the industry in Peru.” The Mexico’s Energy Undersecretary, Lourdes Melgar, the Colombian Vice-minister of Mines, María Isabel Ulloa and the Guatemalan Vice-minister of Finance, Marco Antonio Gutiérrez, were among those attending.
The Chairman of the Transparency International Board, José Ugaz, was more direct when he asked the question, “Transparency, yes, but what next?” in his speech. In the sessions throughout the day the countries implementing the EITI Standard in the Americas (namely Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States) are using the EITI methodology to address difficult issues that characterise the extractive sector in the region such as revenue sharing and how revenues are spent.
Mexico preparing candidature
Other countries, like Chile or Mexico, are also discussing how EITI could help them to improve transparency and good governance of their extractives sector. According to Mexico’s Energy Undersecretary Lourdes Melgar, “Mexico is making preparations and intends to submit its candidacy to the EITI Board in time for the EITI Global Conference in February 2016.”
Next global conference to be held in Lima
The next EITI Global Conference will be held in Lima, Peru, in February 2016. It will be the first time it is held in the region. The participants in last week’s conference highlighted the unique opportunity that the global conference offers to countries in the Americas to demonstrate the use of the EITI Standard in helping to resolve issues such as corruption, social conflict, lack of dialogue and, increasingly, the environmental issues associated with the extractive sector.
Read more about the regional conference on Peru’s government website (in Spanish).
Find out more about Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago and the United States on the EITI country pages (linked).