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Country Outreach Update: August/September 2012

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Country Outreach Update: August/September 2012 . EITI International Secretariat Oslo 10 October 2012 Country outreach update: August/September 2012 Summary This paper provides an overview of EITI Outreach activities in August – September 2012. COUNTRY OUTREACH UPDATE: AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2012 COUNTRY OUTREACH UPDATE: AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2012 Table of Contents 1 Summary ............................................................................................................................. 3 2 Background ........................................................................................................................ 3 3 Focus countries strategy 2012 ........................................................................................... 4 4 Developments in priority outreach countries ................................................................... 4 Australia ....................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Brazil .............................................................................................................................................................................. 5 Chile ............................................................................................................................................................................... 6 Colombia ...................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Egypt .............................................................................................................................................................................. 8 Libya .............................................................................................................................................................................. 9 Mexico ........................................................................................................................................................................ 10 Papua New Guinea ................................................................................................................................................ 11 The Philippines ....................................................................................................................................................... 12 South Africa.............................................................................................................................................................. 13 South Sudan ............................................................................................................................................................. 14 Uganda ....................................................................................................................................................................... 15 United States ........................................................................................................................................................... 16 5 Developments in other countries .................................................................................... 17 5.1 Candidate application pending / expected .............................................................................. 17 5.2 Committed to implement, but timeline unclear ..................................................................... 18 5.3 Uncommitted / limited progress ................................................................................................. 19 2 COUNTRY OUTREACH UPDATE: AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2012 1 Summary Since the last Outreach Update circulated in June 2012: • The government of the Philippines has proposed an ambitious schedule for formation of the MSG and submission of a candidacy application in late 2012; • There have been further efforts to support preparations for EITI implementation in Myanmar , including support to develop the capacity of local civil society groups; • In Papua New Guinea , a proposal to implement the EITI has been lodged with the National Executive Council (NEC) by the Treasury Department; • In the United States of America , the Department of the Interior has published a request for nominees for the MSG. Nominations close 11 October; • The Open Government Partnership (OGP) process in Mexico has been a catalyst for the government to consider EITI implementation; • Australia is making good progress with an EITI pilot; Two events have been organised by the German Government’s Technical Cooperation agency, GIZ, the World Bank and the EITI International Secretariat as part of a series of GIZ-led efforts to support EITI capacity building in implementing and outreach countries: • Representatives from Papua New Guinea, Tajikistan , Tunisia and Ukraine , together with representatives from eight EITI implementing countries mainly from Asia, attended a five day seminar in Cologne, Germany, 24-28 September; • An outreach seminar from 22-24 October in Lusaka, in parallel to the National Coordinators meeting. The Seminar will bring together representatives of government and civil society from prospective EITI implementing countries in Eastern and Southern Africa to learn and discuss possible steps towards implementation. Representatives from Ethiopia , Kenya , Malawi , South Africa , South Sudan, Uganda , and Zimbabwe are invited. Participants will be encouraged to mix and draw experience from National Coordinators, Board members and Zambian stakeholders. The Secretariat is also exploring opportunities to use the forthcoming EITI Global Conference in Sydney in May 2013 to progress EITI outreach efforts. 2 Background The EITI is implemented by 36 countries including 21 in Africa, seven in Asia, three in Latin America and the Caribbean, two in Europe, two in the Middle East, and one in the Pacific. The Board has agreed a set of criteria for prioritising and maximising its outreach efforts to attract key resource-rich countries that are still not part of the EITI: • Risk of the resource curse – potentially high numbers of negatively affected people. • Strategic importance for the EITI, e.g. major economy or particularly significant for the scope of the EITI. • Government commitment to the EITI and likelihood of effective implementation. • Comparative advantage of the International Secretariat over other partner institutions. Based on these criteria, the Outreach and Candidature Committee has developed together with the Secretariat an Outreach strategy, which the Board provided input to in February 2012. The strategy provides a more detailed 3 COUNTRY OUTREACH UPDATE: AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2012 framework for establishing priorities than found in the workplan. While it is not anticipated that the strategy will significantly alter the priorities of the Secretariat, it is possible that it will lead to further amendments and refinements of the list of priority countries for the Secretariat. 3 Focus countries strategy 2012 The EITI International Secretariat workplan for 2012, agreed by the Board in October 2011, identifies ten countries of priority for the Secretariat’s outreach efforts: Australia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, South Africa, South Sudan and Uganda . The Candidacy and Outreach Committee together with the Secretariat has proposed that contact groups are established for the following countries: Brazil , Chile , Colombia , Mexico , Papua New Guinea , South Africa and Myanmar . EITI Board members, their alternates and other stakeholders have been invited to join these groups. Section 3.1 below provides short term road maps outlining key objectives and priority actions to help mobilise relevant stakeholders and monitor progress in these countries. While the Secretariat seeks to adhere to the priorities included in the workplan, the political circumstances and likelihood of success make it necessary to alter the priorities during the year. Therefore, the Secretariat is also intensifying outreach efforts in Myanmar and Tunisia, as described in section 4. In other countries, the Secretariat seeks to respond to interest and to encourage stakeholders’ engagement. Section 4 outlines recent progress in these non-focus countries. The tables below compile information prepared by the Secretariat. With a large number of EITI stakeholders involved in outreach activities, it is likely that the Secretariat is not aware of all ongoing efforts. The Secretariat welcomes contacts and seeks to respond with support, updates and documentation whenever stakeholders engage in outreach activities. 4 Developments in priority outreach countries Australia Main contacts: Partners with particular interest (lead coordinating The pilot MSG meetings are chaired by Tania Constable partner underlined): ([email protected]), head of the Resources Division Not applicable. in the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism (RET). A secretariat has also been established within the department, contact via EITI Pilot Secretariat. [email protected] International Secretariat contact: Local stakeholders: Contact name: Sam Bartlett There is broad support for the pilot from government, Email and or telephone number: industry and CSOs. Rio Tinto, BP, the Mineral Council of [email protected] +47 9026 7530 Australia, PWYP Australia, Transparency International are represented on the pilot MSG. A full list of MSG members is available from the Secretariat. BACKGROUND Australia’s
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