Extractive industries have a vast global footprint and present a primary sector in many countries. Approximately 3,5 billion people live in countries rich in oil, gas or minerals. In 2010, it was estimated that the formal mining sector alone employed more than 3,7 million workers, with a further 25 million people working in artisanal and … Continue reading “Linking Extractive Industries and the Sustainable Development Goals”

WGEI held a 2-days transfer pricing course in Oslo facilitated by Anders Pilskog and August Schneider from the Office of the Auditor General of Norway. The course was well attended with participants from Uganda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Norway and the INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI). The aim of the course was both to emphasise the … Continue reading “Transfer pricing course held in Oslo 21st-22nd November 2017”

Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) recently hosted a peer-learning workshop in Yaoundé, Cameroon (28-30 November) for Francophone Africa. A great number of French speaking African countries are working towards implementing the EITI standards, to demonstrate transparency in their extractive industries sectors. Implementing the standards is challenging. The EITI Secretariat is increasingly interested in using the work of SAIs … Continue reading “Peer Learning Event for EITI Implementing in Francophone Countries in Africa”

Applications are now open for the 2018 edition of NRGI’s Reversing the Resource Curse, which will be held from 15-26 April 2018 at the Central European University. Full information on the course can be found at: http://bit.ly/2jgL1VV; some highlights below. We would love to have more SAI participants this year so please consider applying and/or sharing this … Continue reading “Course Announcement: Reversing the Resource Curse 15 – 26 April 2018”

The Office of the Auditor General of Uganda in collaboration with the INTOSAI working group on the audit of extractive industries (WGEI) community of practice and Afrosai-e organized an extractive industries training workshop that took place in Kampala Uganda from 11th -15th September 2017. This training helped participants to share knowledge and experiences regarding the topical issues … Continue reading “Extractive Industries (EI) Training from 11th – 15th September, 2017”

Networking with non-SAI stakeholders has been a priority for WGEI since the beginning. In October this year, the WGEI entered into a consortium with a group of non-SAI stakeholders to seek donor support for extractive industry audit and civil society dialogue.  A number of multilateral organization and initiatives, government bodies as well as civil society … Continue reading “Public Flashlight on Extractive industries: WGEI Enters Consortium with Civil Society Organizations”

As I have argued in a previous blog, supreme audit institutions are natural guardians of resource governance. They have both the legal mandate and the access—at least in theory—to be an independent check on the management of extractives all along the industry decision chain. In Uganda, for example, the Office of the Auditor General has proven adept at responding … Continue reading “How the Resource Governance Index Can Be Used to Audit Extractives”

Resource rich countries often fail to secure a fair share of their natural resource wealth. Sometimes this is the result of weak national legislation and poorly negotiated contracts. Frequently it is the result of company strategies to minimize tax payments. A list of national-level benefits from the extractive industries includes economic growth, employment, infrastructure, corporate … Continue reading “Many Ways to Lose a Billion: SAIs and the Protection of Government EI Revenue”

SAIs provide a unique check on the way governments manage a country’s natural resources. Yet it is only when the results of audit have been made public, citizens are able to hold the custodians of public resources accountable. For that, SAIs cannot rely of government process alone, but must lever the engagement of media and … Continue reading “The Role of SAIs in the Extractive Industries and the Importance of Building Partnerships”

Introduction Strong and effective Supreme Audit Institutions can contribute to better and more transparent oversight of Extractive Industries (EI) and help to ensure that governments manage natural resources in the best interest of the public. The INTOSAI working group on the audit of extractive industries (WGEI) is undertaking a number of initiatives to strengthen SAI’s … Continue reading “Extractive Industries (EI) Workshop 11th – 15th September 2017 to be held in Kampala, Uganda”