Letter to Norwegian Prime Minister on EITI Secretariat

Dear Prime Minister,

As strong supporters of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) we are writing to you with regard to the long-term role the Norwegian Government could play in championing this important global multi-stakeholder process.

Effective implementation of the EITI is an essential first step so that investments in natural resource sectors promote sustainable development and economic growth in the more than 50 resource-rich developing countries where they are macro-significant around the world. Coupled with respect for the rule of law and good governance, the transparent and prudent management of natural resource revenues will go a long way to helping such countries achieve the Millennium Development Goals and other international objectives on anti-corruption, corporate accountability and energy security.

Norway has played an active role in supporting the EITI since its inception, notably as a major donor to the EITI Trust Fund and as a member of the International Advisory Group (IAG). The Norwegian Government’s hosting of the 2006 EITI Conference in Oslo will represent an important milestone for the Initiative since it is at this event that proposals on the future management and validation of the process at national and international levels will be agreed by EITI stakeholders.

One of the key issues currently being considered by the IAG is the future home for the EITI Secretariat. The Department for International Development in London is seeking to hand over responsibility for supporting the Secretariat to another government or institution as part of the “internationalisation” of the Initiative. We fully support this proposal. Much of the EITI’s success thus far can largely be attributed to the good work and the coordination done by the team at DFID and to strong backing from the British Government. However, it is time for ownership of the Initiative to be widened and for the process to be driven in collaboration with other governments and international institutions.

As you may be aware, the option of Norway hosting the EITI Secretariat has been put forward as part of IAG discussions. We would like to encourage the Norwegian Government to consider seriously this proposal.

There are several factors in favour of Norway hosting the EITI Secretariat:

• Norway’s own experience in managing its natural resource revenues for development and economic growth is considered a model of best practice. The close association of the EITI with Norway would send a very positive international signal that the Initiative is serious about working to ensure that natural resources serve as a blessing for the populations of oil, gas and mineral rich countries.


• Norway has a strong, well recognised and well respected track record on international development. EITI is, after all, about promoting good governance and poverty reduction, so in this respect hosting EITI would be consistent with Norway’s own objectives and commitments to promote international development and capacity building of governments and civil society.


• The launch of the “Oil for Development” initiative further enshrines Norway’s efforts to promote the utilisation of natural resource wealth for human and economic development around the world by expanding capacity building programmes and increasing existing technical assistance to producer country governments and civil society to help them properly monitor the management of extractive industry revenues and public finance management more generally. Hosting the EITI Secretariat would be a logical and complementary extension of this important initiative.


• Norway has committed to applying the EITI principles at home, which should be pursued as soon as possible. Companies including Statoil and Norsk Hydro have taken an active approach to disclosure of revenue payments to governments for every country of operation. These two factors combined serve to underline the point that transparency should begin at home and that EITI stakeholders should adhere to the same standards they ask of others.

In addition, it should be noted that the Secretariat, wherever it is based, would be multi-stakeholder funded and comprised of international staff. As such, it would not present any great financial burden on the host body or its administration. However, the political support given to the Secretariat by a strong and well respected host is vital to safeguard its future development, and to address any potential problems that may arise as the process expands its international and sub-national scope in implementing countries.

If the Norwegian Government, or indeed the IAG, does not consider Oslo to be a viable option for the Secretariat, for logistical or financial reasons or otherwise, we would urge you to consider underwriting a London home for the Secretariat, perhaps under the auspices of the Oil for Development initiative or Norad.

The Oslo Conference will be even more successful if a resolution to the location of the future EITI Secretariat is made in time for agreement amongst international stakeholders at the event. The Norwegian Government should play an active role in reaching consensus on this important issue in partnership with the other world leaders, the British Government and IAG members.

We trust that the Norwegian Government will consider these proposals seriously and hope you will consider offering to host the international EITI Secretariat. We would be happy to discuss these matters with you in due course and look forward to working with you and other stakeholders towards a landmark EITI Conference in October on Norwegian soil.

Yours sincerely,

Henry Parham
International Coordinator
Publish What You Pay

Pastor Innocent Adjenughure
Executive Director, Institute for Dispute Resolution
National Coordinator, Campaign Against Arms Trade Network
Nigeria

Anton Artemyev
Member of Coordination Council
Coalition “Oil Revenues – Under Public Oversight!”
Kazakhstan

Ibrahima Ba
Secretary General
Mer Propre
Mauritania

Chris Bain
Director
Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD)
United Kingdom

Jan Borgen
Executive Director
Transparency International Norway
Norway

Patrick Chiekwe
Save Earth Nigeria
Nigeria

Uche T. Chiekwe
Ndoni Youth Development Programme
Nigeria

Kari-Mette Eidem
General Secretary
Caritas Norge
Norway

Arvid Halvorsen
Director of Corporate Social Responsibility
Norsk Hydro
Norway

Ketil Fred Hansen
Leader
Idégruppen Nord Sør
Norway

Arild Hermstad
Daglig Leder
Framtiden i våre hender
Norway

Mohamed Lemine Ould El Houssein
Coordinateur
ACORD
Mauritania

Abraham Joe Ikiri
Centre for Environment and Political Education
Nigeria

Jean Claude Katende
Coordinator, ASADHO/Katanga
National Focal Point, Publish What You Pay DRC NGO Coalition
Democratic Republic of Congo

Rolf Magne Larsen
Director of Corproate Social Responsibility
Statoil
Norway

Irina Lashkhi
Rule of Law and Public Administration Program Coordinator
Open Society Georgia Foundation
Coalition for Transparency in Public Finances
Georgia

Karin Lissakers
Director
Revenue Watch Institute
United States of America

Steve Manteaw, Convenor, Ghana Publish What You Pay / EITI Civil Society Coalition on behalf of:




• Abantu for Development


• Care International (Ghana)


• The Centre for Public Interest Law


• Civic Response


• Friends of the Earth (Ghana)


• Friends of the Nation


• Ghana Federation of the Disabled


• The Ghana National Catholic Secretariat


• Institute for Democratic Governance


• The Integrated Social Development Centre


• League of Environmental Journalist


• The Trades Union Congress of Ghana



Amadou Marou
Président de la Coordination Nationale
CROISADE
Niger

Shanta Martin
Mining Ombudsman
Extractive Industries Advocacy Coordinator
Oxfam Australia
Australia

Gilbert Maoundonodji
Coordinateur, Groupe de Recherche Alternative et Monitoring du Projet Tchad Cameroun and Secrétaire National Permanent, Coalition Tchadienne Publiez ce que vous payez / Publiez ce que vous gagnez
Chad

Ellinor Melbye
Project Director
PETRAD
Norway

Desiben Meeting
Women Environment & Development Network
Nigeria
Thérèse Mekombé
Vice Présidente
Collège de Contrôle et de Surveillance des Ressources Pétrolières
Chad
Carlos Monge
Grupo Propuesta Ciudadana
Peru

Marte Nilsen
Leader
Attac
Norway

Rose Nwaogwugwu
Natural Resources Development Motivators
Nigeria

Willy Olsen
Independent Advisor

Dupleix F. Kuenzob Pedeme
Directeur des Programmes
Service Oecuménique pour la Paix
Cameroon

Nico Plooijer
Policy advisor, Horn of Africa
Pax Christi Netherlands
The Netherlands

Véronique Rioufol
Desk Officer, Globalization and Human Rights
International Federation for Human Rights
France

Carlos Gomes N’Gondi Sucami
Coordinator
Acção para o Desenvolvimento, Pesquisa e Cooperação Internacional
Angola

Michel Roy
Director of International Advocacy, Secours Catholique / Caritas France
Coordinator, French Publish What You Pay NGO Coalition
France

Bernard Taylor
Executive Director
Partnership Africa Canada
Canada

Simon Taylor
Director
Global Witness
United Kingdom

Mona F. Thowsen
Coordinator
Publish What You Pay Norway

Kouadio Julien Tingain
Président Délégué de Droit
Devoir et Démocratie
Côte d’Ivoire

To: Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg
P.O Box 8001 Dep
0030 Oslo
Norway

cc: Jonas Gahr Støre, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Erik Solheim, Minister of International Development
Odd Roger Enoksen, Minister of Petroleum and Energy
Helen Bjørnøy, Minister of the Environment
Kristin Halvorsen, Minister of Finance
Leiv Lunde, Oil for Development