PWYP - Publish what you pay

Global oil and mining transparency initiative arrives at key deadline

jwilliams — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:53:50 +0000

Many countries yet to overcome validation hurdle

Twenty out of 22 countries have not met the two-year deadline they were given in 2008 to complete external verification of their progress under the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), a voluntary multistakeholder initiative which aims to increase transparency of natural resource revenues. Validation, as the process is known, is a critical quality assurance mechanism which underpins the credibility of the EITI. Progress in different countries varies but a large question mark now hangs over the EITI’s effectiveness as an international standard for improving transparency and accountability in the oil, gas and mining industries, said global civil society coalition Publish What You Pay (PWYP) today.

Additional resources:
Chart showing progress of the 22 EITI countries with a deadline of 9 March 2010
Short guide to EITI Validation

Final Statement - PWYP Abidjan Workshop

jwilliams — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:42:38 +0000

We, representatives of Publish What You Pay (PWYP) francophone African coalitions meeting in Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire) from 29 January to 2 February 2010 at the PWYP Africa Francophone Workshop on the theme of “Strengthening the PWYP campaign and advocacy for greater transparency and accountability in the management of natural resources in Francophone Africa”:

Norway shows transparency leadership by releasing first EITI report

jwilliams — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 11:50:29 +0000

This week Norway, the first OECD country to implement the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), took an important step by publicly releasing its first EITI report disclosing all payments of taxes and fees made by oil companies to the government in 2008.

PWYP Norway coordinator Mona Thowsen congratulated Norway at the launch event and encouraged “all resource rich countries, including other OECD countries to engage meaningfully in the EITI tripartite process…”

"Follow the money": new animated short

jwilliams — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 11:24:19 +0000

Oxfam America has just launched a new animated video showing how so little of the profits from extractive industries reach local communities. In the US the video is intended to encourage people to take action and contact their member of Congress regarding the Energy Security Through Transparency Act – a crucial piece of legislation that would require any company registered with the US authorities (Securities and Exchange Commission) to disclose their payments in every country of operation.

Iraq Joins Global Transparency Effort

jwilliams — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 10:32:34 +0000

With EITI announcement, Iraqi leaders make historic investment in national and regional stability

The Revenue Watch Institute today congratulated the Government of Iraq as it joined the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, taking a historic step toward the efficient and open management of its oil industry.

Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki announced Iraq’s EITI participation Sunday at a formal launch event in Baghdad attended by government leaders, members of Iraqi civil society and international groups, including the Revenue Watch Institute and the World Bank.

PWYP member Oxfam America calls on Chevron to improve transparency practices

jwilliams — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 17:04:00 +0000

International aid agency Oxfam America filed a shareholder resolution today with Chevron calling on the California-based oil company to adopt a comprehensive policy of publicly disclosing payments made to governments where the company operates.

The resolution, filed on International Human Rights Day, aims to promote the rights of citizens in oil-rich countries by providing them with vital information about revenues coming into their countries.

Communiqué - Publish What You Pay International Conference, Montreal

jwilliams — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 14:16:42 +0000

From November 16-18, one hundred and fifty activists from 50 countries convened in Montreal for a three-day conference hosted by Publish What You Pay, the global campaign for transparency and accountability in the oil, gas and mining industries.

New report on the history and achievements of the Publish What You Pay coalition

jwilliams — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:08:20 +0000

A new report documenting the origins of the Publish What You Pay (PWYP) coalition and assessing its progress between 2002 and 2007 was launched this week at the PWYP International Conference in Montreal, Canada.

The report, entitled Publishing What We Learned, was authored by Mabel van Oranje, formerly of the Open Society Institute, and Henry Parham, former International Coordinator of PWYP.

Campaigners from Fifty Nations Gather to Push Forward Transparency in Oil, Gas and Mining Industries

jwilliams — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:46:02 +0000

Two hundred activists from over 50 countries convened in Montreal today for a three-day conference of the Publish What You Pay coalition, the global campaign for transparency and accountability in the oil, gas and mining industries.

The delegates represent hundreds of organizations working in resource-rich nations around the globe to ensure that citizens are able to benefit from their countries’ natural resources.

The first day of the conference will put Canada’s extractive industries under the spotlight with government, the private sector and civil society sharing experiences in promoting transparency in the extractive sector.

PWYP commends Liberia for achieving EITI Compliant status

jwilliams — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:11:13 +0100

Publish What You Pay has congratulated all stakeholders in Liberia’s Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) following the country’s designation by the EITI Board as EITI ‘Compliant’ on 14 October 2009.

Liberia becomes the first African country to be validated as Compliant under the rules and principles of the EITI, a global framework for increased transparency in the oil, gas and mining sectors which champions dialogue between government, civil society and the private sector.