Dili, Timor-Leste, on 8 August 2007 a new Government for Timor-Leste was formed, following the first national parliamentary elections since South East Asia’s youngest nation regained independence in 2002. Newly appointed Secretary of State for Natural Resources, Alfredo Pires, affirmed Timor-Leste’s continuing commitment to EITI and assured the international EITI Secretariat based in Oslo that the new Government will move quickly to publish its first EITI report and go through the EITI validation process, in line with the country's strong track record of petroleum sector transparency.

Former Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri stated Timor-Leste’s  official support for EITI at the first international EITI conference in June 2003. Timor Leste has, from the outset, pursued a rigorous approach to extractive industries transparency. Petroleum revenues, which flow into a transparently managed  Petroleum Fund, are in the public domain, as are all new Production Sharing Contracts. Thorough public consultations on the country's petroleum sector legislation were conducted before parliamentary approval in mid-2005, and a highly transparent, first licensing round for exploration rights in Timor-Leste's exclusive zone was conducted in 2005/2006.

Timor-Leste has formed an EITI Multi-Stakeholder Working Group, bringing together representatives from relevant government agencies, civil society, and the petroleum industry, to lead EITI implementation. Decisive steps are now being taken toward approval of an EITI work plan outlining proposed actions and activities for Timor-Leste. More information, including minutes of the Group's meetings, is available on the  Timor Leste Country page on this site.

The international EITI Secretariat applauds the outgoing Government for its determined pursuit of extractive industries transparency and welcomes the continuing commitment of the new Government to EITI and to prudent petroleum revenue management in general, for the benefit of the Timorese people.

Liberia celebrated the launch of its Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative in Liberia (LEITI) at Monrovia City Hall on July 10th.  The event was presided over by Liberia’s President, her Excellency Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, who formally launched the LEITI.  Statements were also made by several Cabinet Ministers, other government representatives, civil society, the private sector, and international development partners including the African Development Bank. 
 
LEITI will work to ensure that the natural resources of Liberia – mines, forests, and potentially oil – are used in the interests of the Liberian people, rather than to enrich private individuals.  This will be done via the publication of all payments made by mining, petroleum, and forestry companies to the government and government personnel.  Payment and revenue information will be reconciled by an independent administrator, and will undergo external audits.

Chairman of EITI’s International Board, Dr. Peter Eigen highlighted the significance of this process in a letter to Her Excellency Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf earlier this week. "The launch of the LEITI", he wrote, "shows your Government's commitment to good governance and transparency practices. It demonstrates a willingness to working together with civil society." It is by collaborating with civil society that LEITI hopes to ensure that all Liberians are able to benefit from the generous bounty of Liberia’s lands, mines, and forests.

LEITI will be overseen by a Steering Committee composed of members of the government, civil society, the private sector, and international development partners.

Click here to for the full speeches of President Sirleaf and Finance Minister Antoinette Sayeh.

EITI gets at least five mentions in this press release, one each from: Germany, Italy, and Japan, in the Presidential Statement, and a statement from the Under-Secretary General for Political Affairs, B. Lynn Pascoe.

From the Presidential Statement:

The Security Council acknowledges the crucial role that the Peacebuilding Commission, together with other United Nations and non-United Nations actors, can play in post-conflict situations, in assisting Governments, upon their request, in ensuring that natural resources become an engine for sustainable development. In this regard, the Security Council recognizes the role of voluntary initiatives aiming at improving revenue transparency, such as the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative.  The Security Council also stresses that the use, disposal and management of natural resources is a multifaceted and cross-sector issue that involves various United Nations organizations.  In this regard, the Security Council acknowledges the valuable contribution of various United Nations organizations in promoting lawful, transparent and sustainable management and exploitation of natural resources.

by Nils-Sjard Schulz
Associate researcher and independent consultant for development cooperation

The contradictory relationship between natural resource wealth and poverty in human development and governance, especially pronounced among the hydrocarbon-rich African countries, represents a complex challenge for industrialised nations highly dependent on these energy supplies. In response to the "resource curse" suffered by so many countries of the South, with its accompanying corruption and violence, a regime for transparency in the payments made by extractive multinationals has been created. Representing an agreement between parties who in other circumstances would not readily collaborate, these new rules offer great potential for global governance. While Spain has a notable interest in energy security, it has not yet shown a great deal of commitment to this new initiative, in spite of the significant potential it offers for achieving greater coherence in Spain's Development Aid policy. (Versión española pdf)

The National Government through Ministry of Mines and Energy announces the decision to adhere to the Initiative for the Transparency of the Extractive Industries (EITI), that reflects the commitment of the Government of President Uribe in looking for greater efficiency and transparency in the operation of the mining and hidrocarburíferos resources of the country.

The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, supported by more than 30 governments and 25 oil, gas and mining companies, will achieve a "level playing field" against corruption only if Beijing joins, said Bernd Pfaffenbach, envoy to the Group of Eight industrial states for Angela Merkel, German chancellor.

Government of Colombia had on 13 March declared its intention to implement EITI. The Government is now together with representatives from the private sector and civil society and with the support from the World Bank starting to plan an implementation process. Considering the on-going transparency related programs in Colombia, the meeting decided that the EITI should proceed at the national as well as at the sub-national level, ensuring that all flows of revenues are transparently identified and used in sustainable projects. A draft work plan will be prepared for discussion at a second workshop scheduled for mid-May.

In Lima, Peter Eigen and Mayorga Alba were met by Prime Minister Jorge Del Castillo who reaffirmed his country's commitment to EITI and the intention of accelerating the preparation of the first EITI report for the forthcoming June G8 meeting. They also participated in meetings with local EITI Committee, chaired by the Minister of Energy and Mines Juan Valdivia; with the World Bank local team studying improvements in the public sector procurement system; with the local advisors for the Millennium Challenge; and civil society organizations including Transparency International's national chapter Proetica and the NGO-coalition Propuesta Ciudadana, which have been active since 2004 in extractive industries governance and transparency issues. The visit was hosted by Carlos Monge, member of EITI's international Board.

El Gobierno Nacional a través del Ministerio de Minas y Energía anuncia la decisión de adherir a la Iniciativa para la Transparencia de las Industrias Extractivas (EITI), que refleja el compromiso del Gobierno del Presidente Uribe en buscar mayor eficiencia y transparencia en la explotación de los recursos mineros e hidrocarburíferos del país.

The publication of Azerbaijan’s fifth EITI report follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on November 24, 2004 between the Government of Azerbaijan, foreign and local extractive industry companies and a coalition of some 90 local Non-Governmental Organisations for Increasing Transparency in Extractive Industries to implement EITI in Azerbaijan.

The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, today announced Canada’s official support for the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) on behalf of the Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, the Honourable Josée Verner, Minister of International Cooperation and Minister for La Francophonie and Official Languages, and the Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of Natural Resources.

"Our goals are to reduce poverty, promote democracy and reduce the risk of conflict," said Minister Verner. "Initiatives like EITI support these goals and at the same time help to ensure a greater degree of transparency, which allows citizens to demand greater accountability from their governments."

The Extractive Industries Trasparency Initiative workshop “Towards EITI Conference in Oslo 2006” was held on August 31-September 1, 2006 in Bonn, Germany.