EITI International Secretariat Baku, 15 October 2009

The Board of the EITI (Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative) held its 10^th meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan on 14-15 October 2009. During the meeting the Board designated Liberia as EITI Compliant, stating:

The Board congratulates the Government of Liberia and all the other stakeholders on the impressive progress made implementing the EITI.

EITI Chairman Peter Eigen noted: "Liberia is the first African country to be designated EITI Compliant. It is the first country to have included the forestry sector in its reporting. It has also undertaken extensive dissemination work to building community engagement in the EITI process. The success of Liberia in reaching EITI Compliance demonstrates what governments, companies and civil society can achieve when working together and political will is firmly behind the process".

The Board also reviewed recent developments in Azerbaijan, including an agreement by the Government, companies and civil society organisations to formalise a multi-stakeholder group and to agree a new workplan. The EITI Chairman noted: "Azerbaijan was the first country to be designated EITI Compliant, and stakeholders are continuing to work together to form a robust platform that will promote revenue transparency. We will continue to follow progress in Liberia and Azerbaijan as they develop and strengthen their EITI processes to improve the management of their significant natural resources.

The EITI Board also reviewed progress in other implementing countries. Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, Ghana, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo and Timor Leste have all formally initiated the Validation process.