UNITED NATIONS - / MaximsNewsNetwork / 20 October 2008 -- The EITI’s voluntary regime is gradually being established as a means of entry to fight corruption in Africa’s conflict-ridden extractive industries sector. However, as it currently stands, this tool has limited capacity to redress the problem of “resource curse”, an issue which has marked Publish What You Pay’s Annual Regional Meeting and the first EITI Conference in Western Africa (Abuja).

African civil society organisations are increasing pressure for broader commitments on the part of governments, companies and consumer countries, beyond the EITI’s current demands (for payments between companies and governments to be published).

If there is a real concern to reform the sector, a greater degree of transparency in the complex chain governing the transformation of natural resources into economic and human development will need to be achieved: from the transparency of oil contracts (contract disclosure) and bidding processes, to transparency in the management of income from extractive industries in policies aimed at reducing poverty.

Time is running short for candidate countries to pass the EITI examination in March 2010 (the date when mechanisms at the country-level need to be validated). Without a doubt, this will be a big step forward. However, the promoters of the initiative and stakeholders must reflect on the need to assume greater political commitments beyond the EITI.

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Keywords

Civil society Energy Governance Spain

Related publications

• Transparency in the extractive sector: deepening Spain's commitment with the EITI

Bio author: Belén Díaz González

Belén Díaz is an international consultant specialized in governance and development, in particular, in the construction and participation of civil society in African countries, the impact of extractive industries (gas, oil and minerals) in local development process and the transparency in financial transaction (ITIE).

Labels: United Nations, U.N., MaximsNewsNetwork, Abuja, EITI

 

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