April 29, 2008
New Report Says Companies Have a Long Way to Go on Transparency
A survey of leading oil and gas companies shows that the majority are far from transparent in their payments to resource-rich countries. The report, from Transparency International and Revenue Watch, evaluates levels of revenue transparency and suggests areas for improvement, including the need for regulation and for country-by-country reporting. Read more and hear audio commentary ...April 24, 2008
PERU: Network of NGOs Releases Report on Extractives Data, Sub-National Capacity
In its seventh extractive industries report, Revenue Watch partner and grantee Grupo Propuesta Ciudadana compiles and analyzes 2007 data from Peru's mining, oil and gas sectors, and policy issues including the capacity of sub-national governments to effectively use resource revenues. Read more ...April 16, 2008
Publish What You Pay Nigeria Demands Justice for Arrested Film Crew
An American film crew and a Nigeria-based Publish What You Pay member were arrested and detained this week by Nigeria's Joint Military Task Force. David Ungolor of PWYP Nigeria called the actions "heavy-handed" and demanded that the group be released or charged as required by Nigerian law. Read more ...April 12, 2008
World Bank Transparency Effort Offers Promise, but Faces Legacy of Mistrust in Resource-Rich Nations
Revenue Watch welcomed the World Bank's new "EITI++" campaign to help countries harness the current commodities boom. The plan offers support to extend EITI principles across the full "value chain," but RWI warned the Bank that it will take constructive engagement with governments and activists to overcome a legacy of mistrust. Read more ...April 10, 2008
East African Legislators Adopt Recommendations for Extractive Industries Oversight
In a unified effort to reduce conflict and corruption, lawmakers have drafted a plan to review laws and contracts, strengthen parliamentary oversight and foster East African Community cooperation on the management of oil and mineral resources. The resolution, created at a meeting sponsored by Revenue Watch and other groups, also asks EAC members to consider joining the EITI. Read more ...April 9, 2008
Iraq and the EITI: An Encouraging Step for Development
The announcement of Iraq's commitment to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative is a positive sign for open and stable development. Transparency in the management of the world's second-largest reserve of oil would help build trust among Iraq's political factions and foster a more attractive investment climate for the country's oil sector. Read more ...April 7, 2008
IRAQ: Revenue Watch Middle East Expert Warns Senators on the Need for Power-Sharing, New Oil Law
Appearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Yahia Said told lawmakers that ending the deadlock over oil legislation, and a fair election process, are the keys to unlocking Iraq's development potential. "The U.S. military surge was meant to create an environment for political dialogue," said Mr. Said, "but the political process seems to be heading in the opposite direction." Read more ...March 14, 2008
IRAQ: Senators Want to Follow the Money, but Experts Cite Continuing Obstacles to Transparency
Despite reductions in Iraqi violence and related increases in oil production, Iraq's new financial cushion has not translated into significant spending on reconstruction. As two senior U.S. senators call for an investigation into Iraq's revenue management, experts from Revenue Watch and elsewhere are commenting on the barriers to transparency and economic recovery. Read more ...February 29, 2008
KAZAKHSTAN: Coalition Assesses Country's First EITI Report
"Oil Revenues–Under Public Oversight!," a group of over 60 NGOs from across Kazakhstan, welcomed the publication of the nation's first report on the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative as an important preliminary step, but noted questions about the quality of the report and about critical issues that remain unaddressed. Read more ...February 28, 2008
SOUTH AFRICA: Revenue Watch Comments on Draft Royalty Bill
Revenue Watch has submitted its analysis of South Africa's proposed new mining and petroleum royalty bill, in response to a government call for public comments. The bill comes amid a momentous transfer of mineral rights to the state, but RWI is concerned that some of its provisions may not be in South Africa's long-term interests. Read more ...February 25, 2008
As Transparency Initiative Adds Countries, Global Coalition Calls for Civil Society Engagement and Reform
The Publish What You Pay coalition called on governments and companies to deliver concrete results in the push for transparency and accountability in revenues and payments from oil, gas and mining. The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative has approved seven new candidate countries, and all 22 EITI nations must now meet the standard for full EITI validation.Read more ...
February 07, 2008
RWI CONFERENCE: Economists and African Leaders Gather in Senegal
At a Revenue Watch gathering in Dakar, Senegal, policymakers, community advocates and national and regional leaders gathered for a day-long session on challenges, solutions and real-world examples from Africa's struggle to address the "resource curse." Panelists included renowned economist Paul Collier and experts and parliamentarians from countries working to improve transparency in budgeting, revenues and contracts.Read more and download session materials ...
January 31, 2008
France Must Re-Open Probe into Alleged Graft by African Leaders
After a French ruling closed down an investigation into corruption in several African governments, the pro-transparency group Sherpa joined Global Witness and others to condemn the decision, which comes despite the discovery tens of millions of dollars in property and dozens of bank accounts belonging to the countries' Presidents and close associates."We are considering launching a civil complaint in France to ensure this milestone case is properly pursued," said William Bourdon, President of Sherpa.
The investigation, the first of its kind in France, was a key test of President's Sarkozy's call for a "new partnership" with Africa and France's global commitments against corruption. It was closed down in November 2007 after a French court ruled that the crimes were "insufficiently characterized."
Read more ...
January 29, 2008
Promoting Transparency in the Global Fight on Corruption
At a UN anti-corruption conference in Indonesia, Revenue Watch Institute and Publish What You Pay-Indonesia called on participants from 140 states to institutionalize transparency standards. "The fight against corruption begins by revealing where money goes before it ends up in the wrong hands," said RWI director Karin Lissakers.
Read more ...
January 16, 2008
Gabon Lifts Suspension of Advocacy Groups
After a widespread outcry from the Publish What You Pay (PWYP) coalition and many others, Gabon's Minister of the Interior announced the reversal of a ban on operations by 22 non-governmental groups, including PWYP Gabon.
Read more ...
January 11, 2008
Transparency Group Condemns Gabon's Suspension Of NGOs
The Publish What You Pay (PWYP) United States coalition joined international anti-corruption groups to condemns the government of Gabon for suspending PWYP's Gabon coalition. The coalition of human rights, development and environmental organizations also called on the U.S. Government to appeal to the Gabonese authorities to lift the order.
Read more ...
January 7, 2008
Iraq: Opinion: Calling For a "Political Surge" in Iraq
On the one year anniversary of the U.S. military surge, community leaders in Iraq have begun to rebuild, but enduring changes such as an equitable oil law, or clean water, will be unreachable as long as growth depends on the factional leaders walled off in Baghdad's Green Zone. In the International Herald Tribune, RWI's Yahia Said explains the urgent need for fair elections and political power-sharing.
Read more ...
December 20, 2007
Iraq: CSIS - Measuring Stability and Security in IraqLatest report from the Center for Strategic & International Studies assessing the U.S. Defense Departments latest report on Iraq. The CSIS report cites "strong indicators that the glass has gone from one that was mostly empty to one that is at least half full," but adds that the military assessment "scarcely describes a stable or secure Iraq and it indicates that the Iraq War still presents a high risk of failure."
December 17, 2007
Sierra Leone: Extractives Coalition Calls For Dialogue After Deadly Violence at Mine
The National Advocacy Coalition on Extractives (NACE) has begun an investigation into the violent confrontation between police and protestors outside a diamond mine in the eastern town of Koidu. NACE is calling for constructive dialogue among Sierra Leone's mining industry, government and activist groups.
Read more ...
December 10, 2007
Review: IMF Guide, Illuminating Resource Revenue Transparency
Senior Economist Akram Esanov reviews the latest version of the International Monetary Fund's Guide, which has become an important reference source for civil society and government. The updated Guide covers key fiscal issues such as medium-term budgeting framework, long-term reporting, and internal oversight of revenue flows. It can also help resource abundant countries to identify the projects that will have the greatest impact on revenue transparency.
Read more ...
November 26, 2007
Publish What You Pay Report: U.S. House Committee Considers Transparency Issues
In October, the House Financial Services Committee recently held its first-ever hearing on extractive industry transparency. Witnesses included Ian Gary from Oxfam America and Father Patrick Lafon from the Catholic Church in Cameroon, both members of the Publish What You Pay Coalition. Read the PWYP report and learn more about the momentum for country-by-country reporting of U.S. natural resource revenue payments.
Download and read full report ... (pdf)
November 14, 2007
EU Parliament Supports Mandatory Reporting By Oil, Gas And Mining Companies
The European Parliament today called for a new international accounting standard requiring oil, gas and mining companies to report critical financial information, such as payments to governments, on a country-by-country basis. The decision meets a long-standing demand of Publish What You Pay (PWYP). "We applaud the European Parliament," said Radhika Sarin, International Coordinator of PWYP. "This will ensure citizens in producing countries have access to information they need to hold their governments to account."
Read more ...
November 12, 2007
Listen to the author discussion and Q&A at soros.org.
October 24, 2007
House Panel to Examine Resource Revenue Transparency in Mining and Oil Industries
Washington, DC – House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank will hold a hearing on Thursday, October 25 at 10:00 am in 2218 Rayburn House Office Building to examine the issue of and focus public attention on the importance of increased resource revenue transparency in the extractive industries.Read more ...
September 17, 2007
Guidelines for the Revision of Mining Contracts in the DRC.
- ISSUE 1: Guidelines for the Revision of Mining Contracts in the DRC (Francais)
- ISSUE 2: Diamonds in Zimbabwe - A Situational Analysis
- ISSUE 3: Malawi and Its Minerals - Are Malawians Benefitting?
- ISSUE 4: Copper Boom in Zambia - Boom for Whom?
- ISSUE 5: The Evolution of Diamond Mining in Lesotho
August, 2007
Iraq: IMF Review (August, 2007)Report on Iraq's economic situation, the effects of deteriorations in security, and progress on strengthening macroeconomic and structural reforms, based on IMF meetings with Iraqi officials and analysis by the IMF staff and Executive Board.Download and read full report ... (pdf)
July 18, 2007
Iraq: Revenue Watch Analysis of Iraq Hydrocarbons Legal Framework An analysis of Iraq's Federal Oil and Gas Law, Federal Financial Resources Law, relevant constitutional articles and proposed amendments by the Constitutional Review Committee and the Kurdistan Region Oil and Gas Law and Model ContractRead more ...
February 15, 2007
Iraq: Oil and Gas LawDraft of Iraqi Hydrocarbon Law submitted to Parliament on February 15th, 2007, from Kurdistan Regional Government website.
Expert Commentary: (pdf)
- Tariq Shafiq, Founding Executive of INOC (published by Middle East Economic Survey - MEES)
- Fadhil Al-Chalabi, Executive Director of the Center for Global Energy Studies, former Deputy Minister of Oil and General Secretary of OPEC (presented at conference in Amman on February 17)
- Symposium of Iraqi oil experts (with list of signatories)
- Malik Dohan Al-Hasan, former Minister of Justice
- Nabil Marsoomi, Professor of Economics, University of Basra
Iraqi Oil Policy: Constitutional Issues Regarding Federal and Regional Authority
Analysis by Joseph C. Bell, Hogan & Hartson LLP, and Professor Cheryl Saunders, University of Melbourne Australia. This memo addresses issues of constitutional relating to the division of authority between the federal government and the regions and governorates.
Related Article: Oil and Gas Rights of Regions and Governates
Commentary: Proposed Petroleum Act for the Kurdistan Region of Iraq
The Revenue Watch Institute notes with approval the decision of the Kurdistan authorities to publish the preliminary draft for public comment. Our comments are limited to the provisions regarding corruption, transparency, and public access to information.
Related Article: KRG Natural Resources Minster Responds to Comments on Draft Kurdistan Petroleum Act
January 14, 2007
Iraq: Development Fund for Iraq: Summary of 2007 Audit Ernst & Young's summary of findings for the period ending December 31, 2006, from the International Advisory and Monitoring Board for Iraq (IAMB).MEDIA FEED
Editorial: Transparency International Report and Fighting Graft - Financial Times
Major Oil Companies Rebuked for Lack of Transparency - Financial Times
Ghana Prepares to Battle "Oil Curse" - UN/IRIN
Nigerians Release Seattle-Based Film Crew - UPI
Seattle-Based Film Crew Held in Nigeria - The Associated Press
Azerbaijan: Baku Hesitates On Nabucco Pipeline Project - Eurasianet
Opinion: Help Poor States to Seize the Fruits of the Boom - Financial Times
Opinion: A Network of Truces - The New York Times
Editorial: More of the Same in Iraq? - The New York Times
Iraq Announces Commitment to Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative - EITI
Opinion: How to Prevent the Oil Curse - The New Vision
Report: Failure to Punish Gang Violence Will Fuel More Bloodshed in Nigeria - Human Rights Watch
NEWS & INFORMATION ARCHIVES
PUBLICATIONS
Eye on EITI
Produced by the Publish What You Pay (PWYP) coalition, Eye on EITI examines progress in the 21 countries who in 2002 endorsed the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative agreement (EITI).
Download and read the full report ... (pdf)
Downloadable Translations:
Policy Brief: Leaving a Legacy of Transparency in Nigeria
Revenue Watch urges the government of Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo to enact revenue transparency reforms, including most notably the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) bill...
Read more ... (pdf)