Publish What You Pay 

La réunion régionale d’Afrique s’est déroulée avec un grand succès le 24 – 27 mai 2011. Nous félicitons à nouveau la coalition PCQVP en RD Congo, ainsi que notre coordinateur d’Afrique, pour un travail très bien réussi. Pendant cette conférence, les participants ont pris de grandes décisions concernant la stratégie et la structure de la campagne africaine PCQVP, qui comprend maintenant par exemple un comité de pilotage. Nous enverrons à l’avenir un bulletin spécial « Kinshasa », avec toutes les infos sur notre conférence et les changements à venir.

Our Africa Regional meeting in Kinshasa on 24 – 27 May 2011 was a huge success. We once again congratulate the DRC coalition and our Africa coordinator for a good job well done. Many important decisions were made during this meeting on the strategy and structure of the African PWYP campaign, which for example now also includes a steering committee. We will send out in the future a ‘special’ Kinshasa issue covering all these changes and the outcomes of the conference!              

G8 declaration reflects global momentum

On 27 May 2011 the G8 for the first time endorsed mandatory reporting of extractive payments when they welcomed “complementary efforts to increase revenue transparency, and commit[ted] to setting in place transparency laws and regulations or to promoting voluntary standards that require or encourage oil, gas, and mining companies to disclose the payments they make to governments.”

This declaration reflects the growing momentum of our global campaign to introduce mandatory financial reporting standards in the extractives sector. Last year the US passed the Dodd-Frank Act, which, through provision 1504, obliges any extractive company listed in the US to report payments made to the countries in which they operate. Last week, following the efforts of PWYP member ONE, we were delighted to hear that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton chose to highlight Dodd-Frank 1504 in a speech in Zambia to an audience of government, private sector and civil society leaders at the Africa Growth and Opportunities Act Ministerial Conference (AGOA). Oil constitutes 90% of AGOA exports to the US and it was telling that Mrs. Clinton’s remarks on the US’s new disclosure provisions drew applause from the conference delegates.

European leaders have been calling for the EU to follow suit, as President Sarkozy and British Chancellor George Osborne both pledged their support for EU level regulation. In an op-ed in the French newspaper Libération José Manuel Barroso- President of the European Commission – stated his intention for the EU to go beyond its traditional support for EITI. He wrote, “In October, the European Commission will…present a legislative proposal to amend the transparency directive so as to include requirements for extractive industries to disclose their payments” . On 14 June, speaking at a conference on commodities and raw materials in Brussels, Barroso reiterated his support for new rules saying “the commission will publish proposals in October, including the obligation on companies to publish information on their activities” and, speaking in the context of the G20, appealed to “all partners to follow the same approach” as “only co-ordinated global action will produce a real solution.”

Strong endorsements from these quarters shows that mandatory reporting of financial data by energy companies is now very much on the cards and PWYP is working hard to ensure all countries step into the rink.

Congolese government to publicize extractive activity contracts

All contracts signed between the Congolese government and companies engaging in extractive activity (including forestry) are to be published within 60 days of their coming into effect. The decree establishing this new law was signed on May 20 by the Prime Minister and ministers of Mines, Energy and Environment. The contracts will appear in the government’s official journal as well as on the individual websites of the ministries involved.

Some opacity will nevertheless remain as the details of contracts signed before the decree will not be revealed. These include contracts signed with companies unknown in 2010 as well as contracts with Chinese companies exchanging mines for infrastructure whose renegotiation saw the price drop – with no offered explanation - from nine billion to six billion dollars.

Some reporters (en français) have expressed doubts and even cynicism as to the government’s intentions and resolution, pointing to upcoming elections or the fact that contract disclosure was a condition set by the World Bank before the DRC could return to the fold. Regardless of the government’s reasons for action, the disclosure of contracts if followed through represents a crucial victory in the battle for a responsible management of natural resources that benefits all Congolese citizens.

Contracts transparency discussion in Washington
 
This news from the DRC adds to growing momentum for the disclosure and monitoring of extractive industry contracts between companies and host governments. In view of these developments a lunch panel discussion on “Contract Transparency in Action” will be hosted by Oxfam America in Washington on 12 July which will look at the case of the release of petroleum agreements in Ghana, the IFC’s new requirement for contract disclosure as well as the World Bank Institute’s contract monitoring work.

Related blog: Turning deals into development

Tea Time For Change

On Thursday 9 June, over a thousand British constituents met at Westminster to lobby their MP over a cup of tea. This event was organised by Action Aid, Bond, CAFOD, Christian Aid, Oxfam, Save the Children and Tearfund (six of whom are members of PWYP). 

Activists spoke to their MPs on a number of subjects related to international development including the introduction of a country by country reporting standard to combat corruption and tax dodging.

Speaking at the close of Tea Time For Change Harriet Harman, shadow minister of development, came out in support of PWYP, stating that “we strongly back the Publish What You Pay campaign”.

This was an important push in the campaign for financial reporting, following as it does the G8 declaration at Deauville and British Chancellor George Osborne’s pledge of support last February. 

Visit the Tea Time For Change site for more information on the event
View photos of the event

EITI Board Meeting 9/6/11- Outcomes

• This was the first opportunity for the new civil society delegation to work together on the Board, since the previous meeting in Paris was more of an introduction than a working meeting. The most exciting outcome of the Board meeting is that a “strategy working group” will be set up by the Board to discuss the future direction of the EITI. This decision builds out of the recognition, which many people expressed in the Paris conference, that the EITI needs to broaden and deepen its scope if it is to achieve the wider aims of the EITI Principles. Publish What You Pay members will use this group to discuss extending transparency to licencing and contracts, linking EITI reports to transparency of government spending and other relevant steps.  

• The Board decided to temporarily suspend Yemen from the EITI process, saying that it was not satisfied that the full and active participation of civil society and other actors in EITI implementation could be maintained following the deteriorating political security situation. Madagascar was given a further extension until 30 September 2011 to complete validation.  Other countries have been granted further time to reach Compliance in accordance with the new EITI rules, which come into force on July 1^st. Civil society Board members noted concerns about slackening government support for the EITI in Gabon. The Board is hoping for a reinvigorated commitment to the EITI from the new government in Peru.  

• The Board has also discussed an independent evaluation of the EITI and set up an Outreach and Candidacy Committee which will work with the EITI Secretariat and stakeholders to process new country applications to the EITI and ensure that the conditions are in place for successful implementation, notably the freedom of civil society groups to participate independently in the EITI. 

Many thanks to Diarmid O'Sullivan for this 
 

A call for Norway to lead the way

On 23 May 2011 PWYP Norway and Norwegian investor KLP hosted the Oslo Dialogue meeting which brought together high level Norwegian and EU officials with investors, regulators and representatives of capital markets to discuss reporting standard developments in the EU and the US and the role Norway can play in this campaign.
The message from the investors  was clear as they called on Norway to take the lead in country by country reporting standards. Participants pointed to Norway’s identity and reputation as a progressive and innovative country. Raymond Baker director of Global Financial Integritystated, “Even though Norway is a small country it has a huge influence internationally. If Norway starts, the rest of the world will follow”.

PWYP Norway also presented a draft for discussion which lists the financial elements that need to be disclosed in a country by country reporting standard for capital flight and corruption to be quashed. This draft is a work in progress and may be subject to change, feedback and comments are welcome. (Please direct questions to mona.thowsen@pwyp.no)

Les nouvelles du Niger

La coalition PCQVP-ROTAB vient de distribuer son bulletin d'informations, vous pouvez y accéder ici. Vous trouverez des articles à propos:
 

- De l'exploitation de l'uranium :  Dans les entrailles de l'enfer d'Azeli
 

- Du futur de la campagne : Planification des activités de ROTAB pour les prochaines années
 

- De la formation : Renforcement des capacités des acteurs locaux

Mieux former pour gagner la bataille
 

.... et bien d'autres!