BERLIN, 16 APRIL 2010.  The Board of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, the international standard for improved transparency in countries’ natural resource sector, met in Berlin 15-16 April. The Board discussed the request of 17 of the 32 countries currently implementing the EITI to extend their deadline for completing EITI Validation.

In recognition of their progress in implementing the EITI, the EITI Board has concluded that Kazakhstan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Peru are Candidate countries that are “close to compliance”.

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.