EITI Global Conference highlights importance of transparency in the energy transition

The EITI’s ninth Global Conference concluded on 15 June, in Dakar, Senegal, with strong support for the energy transition to be addressed more explicitly through the EITI Standard.

Themed “Transparency in transition”, the event was the first Global Conference of the EITI to be held in Africa since its foundation 20 years ago. It attracted more than 1,300 participants and was opened by His Excellence Amadou Ba, Prime Minister of Senegal. The opening ceremony was also attended by the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, His Excellence Mohammed Bilal Messoud.

The conference saw the launch of the EITI Standard, which aims to increase understanding of the impact of the energy transition, help address corruption risks, promote gender equity, and improve revenue collection across 57 implementing countries.

The EITI will move forward to tackle these issues with a newly-elected EITI Board. The candidature of EITI Board Chair Rt Hon. Helen Clark to complete a second term was also approved by the EITI Members’ Meeting.

Among other topics, conference participants discussed win-win solutions for resource taxation, using data and dialogue to fight corruption and deliver sustainable mineral supply chains, and using the EITI Standard to strengthen reporting on gender participation in the industry and managing its social and environmental impact.

Each EITI Global Conference sees the award by the EITI Chair to countries or individuals that stand out in furthering EITI implementation, adopting innovations, ensuring impact and overcoming constraints. At the conference, the EITI Board Chair and former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Helen Clark, presented awards to Argentina, Mauritania and Ukraine. She also recognised the exemplary service of two outgoing EITI Board members, Hon. Awa Marie Coll-Seck of Senegal and Oleksiy Orlovsky of Ukraine in special citations.