The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) has played an important role in promoting good governance in Papua New Guinea’s extractive sector. While the sector is a significant contributor to the country’s economy, it has also been the source of social conflicts and tensions around issues related to revenue sharing, environmental impacts, and state participation.
The EITI Standard requires transparency and disclosure along the entire extractive industry value chain, including information on contracts and licenses, production, revenue collection and allocation, and social and economic spending. Papua New Guinea has implemented the EITI Standard through its national secretariat and multi-stakeholder group, which includes representatives from the government, extractive companies, and civil society.
The PNGEITI has published several studies and reports, including on subnational payments and transfers of extractive revenue and the management and reporting of state-owned enterprises in the sector. These reports have identified gaps and opportunities for improving transparency and accountability in the sector and laid the foundation for piloting recommendations in select provinces.
The PNG government has also adopted the National Policy for Transparency and Accountability in the Extractive Sector, which institutionalizes the EITI and requires public access to contracts and environmental reports. The EITI data is also used as a diagnostic to monitor data produced by government agencies.
Overall, the EITI has helped to improve coordination among various ministries, promote dialogue between industry, government, and civil society, and safeguard the integrity of the sector through a global standard for good governance.
You can visit the website for PNGEITI here.