May newsletter

Global collaboration to develop principles for the energy transition  

The UN’s new high-level Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals, initiated by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, aims to develop voluntary principles guiding the energy transition. Involving 39 governments and stakeholders across the minerals value chain, including the EITI, the panel's inaugural discussion focused on equity, sustainability and human rights. Watch the full discussion. 

Quoted: “We see huge opportunities regarding the potential benefits for countries producing transition minerals,” said EITI Executive Director Mark Robinson. “What we’ll bring to the table is emphasising and tackling the very real risks if governance and corruption risks are not placed front and centre in the shared ambition that we all have.”  

Related: The EITI convened 70 participants from EITI implementing countries producing transition minerals, providing a platform for dialogue about the risks associated with mineral license allocations and the importance of contract transparency in supporting fair negotiations.

Armenia opens up about terms and owners

Armenia achieved a high score (89.5 points) in implementing the EITI Standard, having strengthened disclosures on its mining sector, which accounts for nearly half of the country’s exports.

Data access: Emphasising data accessibility, Armenia provides a beneficial ownership register and discloses mining permit data and contracts. Armenia EITI’s reporting builds on these disclosures by summarising and complementing available data and analysing information in the context of sector trends and developments.

Going further: While much mining data is public, there are opportunities for the government and companies to enhance the compatibility and integration of various data sources and clarify how extractive revenues are used for social expenditures.

Suriname on the path to extractives transparency

Suriname achieved a fairly low score (58.5 points) in implementing the EITI Standard. While the government has shown a renewed commitment to EITI implementation, further efforts are needed to strengthen stakeholder engagement and broaden disclosures.

Spotlighting environmental impacts: In May 2020, Suriname enacted legislation to improve disclosures and rules on mining projects' environmental impacts, addressing public and civil society concerns regarding environmental rehabilitation and degradation. Separately, the national oil company, Staatsolie, publishes its social and environmental expenditures and model production sharing contract.

Knowing the terms: Further efforts are needed to ensure all contracts are disclosed in full, including agreements signed by Staatsolie to undertake expenditures on behalf of the government that are not reflected in the national budget. 

Uganda sets foundations for future oil wealth

Uganda achieved a moderate score (78.5 points) in implementing the EITI Standard, having made strides in improving extractives transparency and accountability through a robust multi-stakeholder platform and policy reforms.

Big picture: Uganda has recently introduced measures to manage its anticipated oil wealth and bolster the mining sector’s prospects, namely through the passage of the 2022 Mining and Minerals Act. EITI Uganda has also fostered discussions on the East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), enabling disclosures that address civil society concerns related to the project’s social and environmental impacts. 

Connecting the dots: Uganda’s government can further advance transparency by fully disclosing oil, gas and mining contracts, building on broad industry support to publish extractive agreements. It can also take steps to disclose the ultimate owners of extractive rights and companies, which will help close avenues for corruption and conflicts of interest.

In other news

EITI Board: The EITI Board will convene in Geneva, Switzerland on 19-20 June for its 60th EITI Board meeting, hosted by the Government of Switzerland. Ahead of the meeting, coordinators of EITI national secretariats globally will gather to exchange good practices and common challenges related to EITI implementation. Side events will convene commodity traders, state-owned enterprises and other stakeholders to discuss transparency gains and opportunities.

Supporting companies: The EITI is pleased to welcome two new EITI supporting companies: Endeavour Mining, the largest gold producer in West Africa with projects in Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal; and Seplat Energy, Nigeria’s leading indigenous energy company.

Transition minerals: At the 2024 OECD Forum on Responsible Mineral Supply Chains this week, the EITI and partners made the case for how governments and companies can leverage the EITI Standard, OECD Due Diligence Guidance and other tools to identify and tackle governance and corruption risks in the transition mineral sector.

Global engagements: In case you missed it, EITI representatives were recently on missions in the Republic of the Congo, Kazakhstan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste and Turkey to support countries’ EITI implementation efforts.

Country collab: EITI stakeholders from Sierra Leone and Liberia recently gathered in Monrovia to exchange best practice on implementation of the EITI Standard, focusing on beneficial ownership, contract transparency and anti-corruption.

Stakeholder views: We are seeking stakeholders views on progress in EITI implementation and stakeholder engagement in Gabon, Honduras, Iraq and Tajikistan, which will undergo Validation against the EITI Standard.

Tackling corruption: How do you tackle a problem like extractives corruption? A new tool by the Natural Resource Governance Institute helps actors identify and diagnose corruption issues in the sector through an adaptable, step-by-step process.

Investigating extractives: An updated guide by the Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN) collates resources to help reporters cover the extractive sectors. 

Women in mining: On 18 June, our partner International Women in Mining is hosting an online event to celebrate the International Day of Women in Mining (IDWIM), with an emphasis on how gender inclusion can be one of the greatest assets the industry has to ensure its long-term sustainability. Register here.

Open Ownership: Open Ownership is looking for an experienced data analyst to join its team and help people across the world use and learn from beneficial ownership data. Apply by 31 May.  

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