A three-day seminar was held in Oslo for the non-governmental organizations organized by the international NGO Publish What You Pay through the support from the Norwegian Government.
The seminar brought together the NGOs from more than 50 countries, the Head of the Public Finance Monitoring Center Ingilab Ahmadov told Trend.
The primary goal of the seminar was, on the eve of the third EITI International Conference, to bring together the NGOs from countries possessing oil and gas or other mineral resources, where EITI is already applied or is in the stage of joining the initiative
At the time of the seminar, the common position of the civil society of the countries applying EITI was worked out. During the event, the NGOs informed about the works done since 2003.
The Azerbaijani experience was presented by I.Ahmadov who spoke about the achievements and difficulties over the past 4 years. As a result of the seminar, the common position regarding the future destiny of the EITI was worked out and the variants of entrance from the civil society to the EITI board were considered.
Irrespective of our efforts and experience, Azerbaijan didn't enter this list. The main argument in the refuse was that the EITI is successfully realized in Azerbaijan and presently the process is continuing normally. Therefore the country doesn't need agitation, but the Board should include the NGOs of the countries that are in the process of entrance. However, Azerbaijan had become the member of the Board as a state, Ahmadov stressed.
Amongst the former Soviet countries, NGOs from Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan entered the EITI board, and the remaining NGOs were from African countries and international NGOs.
In addition, the seminar focused on the permanent location place of the EITI Secretariat. Earlier the initiative was managed in London home land of initiators. The discussions were held around Oslo and Bona. The German ambassador recommended to place the Secretariat in Bone because it is located in the center of Europe while Oslo is far from the central communications.
The President of the World Bank Pol Vulfovis justified the situation with corruption and poverty in the countries, noting that these problems have already been systematized. He called for as much as possible countries to join the EITI.