The PWYP Blog gathers together information, updates and ideas about the role of transparency in the extractive industries in creating economic growth and fighting poverty and corruption. On this lively blog, contributors from the PWYP coalition and guest bloggers share their thoughts and opinions, which are open to comment from anybody.
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Delivering a speech at Lagos during a state visit to Nigeria, British Prime Minister David Cameron joined the call for Europe to introduce mandatory financial reporting rules for extractive companies.
As he emphasized that ‘mineral wealth should be a blessing, not a curse’ the Prime Minister referred to US legislation which requires extractive companies to divulge financial information on a country-by-country and project-by-project basis, before calling on Europe to ‘do the same’. This US legislation – section 1504 of the Dodd-Frank Act – in fact celebrated its first year anniversary on 15 July 2011, though the SEC have yet to publish the exact rules for this provision. PWYP has called on the SEC to issue these as soon as possible.
If you’ve recently bought a pirated DVD in Uganda, chances are you will have seen this video illustrating the detrimental effects of corruption on agriculture, education and transport infrastructure. The animation ends with the call, “Tell all politicians that all oil deals must be made out in the open where all can see”.
Last week Sierra Leone celebrated the independence it won 50 years ago, on 27 April 1961.
The revision of the EITI Rules undertaken by the previous EITI Board was a step in the right direction, and has strengthened the requirements for implementing the EITI.
Going Beyond Transparency: The scope of the EITI and other initiatives to promote wider accountability and reform
This parallel session, organized by the Natural Resources Charter, sought to stimulate discussion around how the EITI implemented at national level can be adapted to address the specific circumstances of different countries – and how this might be extended beyond revenue transparency to promote wider accountability and reform.
Issues of transparency and anti-corruption are front and centre following recent events in the Middle East. The timing of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative 5th Global Conference last week could not have been better.
As Mo Ibrahim remarked at the conference, we live in a world of wikileaks and virulent democratic protest where there is little opportunity for “hanky panky”.
Since 2002, the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) has been promoting public revenue reporting on oil, gas and mining revenues. It is now facing pressure to go further – to include informal revenues and transparency of contracts and exploration licences, among other things.
The importance of this initiative is more apparent now than ever.
New breakthrough in UK signals time to rally the global campaign for better corporate reporting in Canada, Australia, South Africa and China
The UK government has just announced its support for new European rules to be developed that would require extractive companies to publish their payments in every country of operation.
This is a crucial new development in the campaign for information needed to hold governments and companies to account for the revenues generated by extractives.
We are asking all Publish What You Pay supporters in the UK to contact your MP and encourage them to to attend a parliamentary debate on 1 March on a Bill which would require oil, gas and mining companies to publish what they pay to all governments around the world.
Anas Sarwar (the MP for Glasgow Central) has tabled a “Ten minute Rule Motion” for debate on 1 March in which he will give a ten minute speech in Parliament, followed by a short time for MPs to discuss the issue.
Pour publication immédiate
Londres, le vendredi 4 février 2011
Le réseau internationale de Publiez Ce Que Vous Payez (PCQVP) est vivement préoccupée par les menaces de mort dont font l’objet Me Georges Kapiamba, vice-président national de l’Association Africaine de Défense des Droits de l’Homme (ASADHO) et Me Jean Claude Katende, président national de l’ASADHO et Président de la Coalition Nationale Publiez Ce Que Vous Payez en République Démocratique du Congo.