Lima will bring together 1,300 representatives from 90 countries during the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI)’s 7th Global Conference due to be held on 24-25 February, Peru’s Energy and Mines Ministry (MEM) informed.
Participants include over 40 high-level officials from Africa, Europe and Central America, including presidents, prime ministers, state ministers and senators.
"Peru will be the first Latin American country to host an international event [of this kind], thus proving its commitment to make the country's mining and hydrocarbons management transparent," it underlined.
"We are going to do our best to hold the best possible EITI conference. We believe athat the transparent management of extractive resources helps citizens understand the benefits this industry can bring to resource-rich regions," Peru's Energy and Mines Minister Rosa Maria Ortiz said.
“This is no talking shop. The world cannot afford to fail to optimise its use of natural resources," EITI Chair, the Rt Hon Clare Short, pointed out.
She continued: "I want to see the EITI Global Conference to be a forum for specific actions to improve how governments, companies and civil society can collectively strengthen their systems and ensure the best platform for informed public debate and policy-making.”
Peru joined the EITI in 2007 and has long history of mining and significant natural gas reserves. The EITI Board’s decision to hold the Conference in Lima follows an invitation from the government. The sixth conference took place in Sydney, Australia, in 2013 and brought together around 1,500 participants.
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Published: 2/12/2016