OSCE Centre supports extractive industry transparency in Kazakhstan
ALMATY, Kazakhstan, 1 June 2010 - The Third National Conference of the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI) in Kazakhstan, organized by Kazakhstan's Ministry of Oil and Gas with the support of the World Bank, the Soros Foundation and OSCE Centre in Astana, was held today in Almaty.
Following a presentation by the Government on the implementation of EITI in Kazakhstan, more than 150 representatives of government institutions, non-governmental organizations, international organizations and extractive industry companies discussed ways of working together to successfully achieve the initiative's objectives in the country.
The EITI concept aims to increase transparency in transactions between governments and companies in the extractive industries. There are at present 28 EITI candidate countries and two compliant countries - Azerbaijan and Liberia. The Kazakhstani National Council of the EITI is aiming to complete the validation process this year and obtain compliant country status.
In his presentation, Ambassador Alexandre Keltchewsky, the Head of the OSCE Centre in Astana, said: "The OSCE Centre welcomes the commitment of Kazakhstan to promote the EITI principles of transparency in the extractive sector. Implementation of these principles can bring long-term benefits to the country such as increased investment and sustainable solutions to social and environmental challenges."
Asset Magauov, Kazakhstan's Vice-Minister for Oil and Gas, added: ""The National Council, which includes all EITI process participants and is the only decision-making body for the initiative, aims to accomplish the most important tasks in implementing the key EITI principles. A tremendous amount of work has been done on both the national and international level through the collaborative efforts of the government, non-governmental and international organizations, and extractive industry companies."
The Third National Conference of EITI in Kazakhstan was a key event in the framework of the OSCE Centre's economic and environmental dimension activities related to the fight against corruption and the promotion of sustainable development. The Centre has had observer status in the National Council of EITI - Kazakhstan since April 2010.