MEDIA RELEASE PR38317
Afghanistan Agrees to Transparency Standards
NEW YORK, Feb.12 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --
Revenue Watch Applauds Commitment to EITI and Calls for Government
Cooperation With Civil Society
With the formal addition of Afghanistan to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative this week,
leaders and citizens gained a new tool in the struggle for regional stability, and the embattled country signaled
a commitment to sound natural resource management and increased public accountability.
The Revenue Watch Institute welcomed the acceptance of Afghanistan as the latest "implementing country"
in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), an international voluntary standard for disclosure
and responsible management in the oil, gas and mining sectors. The EITI board announced the addition of
both Afghanistan and Iraq yesterday in Oslo, Norway.
"Afghanistan's mineral resources are attracting growing interest from international investors, after decades
of conflict and little progress in national efforts to rebuild," said Karin Lissakers, director of the Revenue Watch
Institute. The nation's Ministry of Mines opened bidding on three oil and gas blocks in summer 2009, and also
signed a recent deal with China Metallurgical Group to extract copper.
"Government adherence to the principles of transparency of payments increases the likelihood that the
people will benefit from their country's valuable resources, and helps to build public trust," said Lissakers. "We
hope that Afghan officials and the international community will work together to safeguard the rights and
freedoms that make the EITI dialogue possible."
With Iraq and Afghanistan now implementing the EITI, Revenue Watch believes the Middle East and
neighboring countries have significant new opportunities to increase both economic and political stability.
organization that promotes the responsible management of oil, gas and mineral resources for the public good.
With effective revenue management, citizen engagement and real government accountability, natural resource
wealth can drive development and national growth. RWI provides the expertise, funding and technical
assistance to help countries realize these benefits.
SOURCE: Revenue Watch Institute
CONTACT:
Jed Miller of the Revenue Watch Institute,
+1-917-257-0670 (US),
jmiller@revenuewatch.org
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