FIAA Mining and Oil and Gas members meet with EITI International Validation Team

FIAA Mining and Oil and Gas members meet with EITI International Validation Team

March 21, 2019
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The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative – EITI, is an international initiative with main object to develop and implement a mechanism for declaring revenues earned from the use of Natural Resources through Extractive Industries, publishing of these data in an readable format by everyone and their oversight by providing to the general public information on public revenue and expenditure, thus, contributing to a public debate and the establishment of mechanisms for the good governance of these revenues to the benefit of communities.  This is accomplished through the establishment and functioning of a Multi Stakeholders Group (MSG), which includes government representatives, companies operating in this sector, and full, independent, active and effective participation of civil society, who are committed to work together in order to develop and promote the transparency and good governance of this sector.

The MSG for EITI Albania is the decision-making body in charge of supervising the implementation of EITI in Albania. This group is headed by the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Energy and Industry and consists of government representatives, companies operating in extractive industries and civil society. The Multi Stakeholders Group approves the work plan for the secretariat, submits the annual EITI report, ensures that EITI contributes to public debate and supports the work of the Albanian Secretariat EITI. On 16.11.2016, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between FIAA and National Secretariat of EITI Albania, by No. 118 Prot, which stipulates that FIAA will be the only formal Institution which represents Businesses in Extracting Industries and that it will undertake the selection process of MSG members from business community, ensuring a transparent and independent representation.

In this ambit, the second mission of the Validation Team from the International EITI Secretariat in Oslo, visited Albania in March 19th and met with FIAA representatives in the Multi-stakeholder Group of EITI Albania. The Validation Team aimed at verifying and evaluating the steps followed by EITI Albania in the function of the Corrective Actions left out of the First Validation conducted during 2017 and the EITI Board Decision of 13.02.2018 “On Validation of Albania”.

During the meeting with FIAA, it was highlighted the current situation of the extractive Industries in Albania and the performance of the MSG and EITI Secretariat in the Country. The FIAA Representatives addressed the main challenges in this industry and envisaged the ongoing work and efforts for assuring a more transparent and accountable industry in Albania. The team also met with the institutions and involved stakeholders in the implementation of the EITI Initiative in Albania.