ArmInfo. Armenia has appealed to the World Bank with a request to extend the "Armenia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Support: Additional Financing" program. The corresponding draft decree of the RA President was approved at a government meeting on May 2.
As noted in the explanation to the document, in order to complete all planned activities within the program and use the planned funds to the maximum extent, it was necessary to apply to the World Bank with a request to consider extending the deadline for completing the program from March 31 to December 31, 2024. It is noted that the extension is required in order to complete the work begun in 2023 to create a systematic discovery of metal mining data (DSD) platform in accordance with the National Mining Industry Standard. According to preliminary estimates, a professional company will be selected as the winner of the competition in 2024 and a corresponding contract will be signed with it in June. The work will be completed by December 15, as a result of which a portal will appear in Armenia through which the public will have access to data identified with the help of new IT solutions in authorized bodies that own current primary information in the mining industry.
During the requested period of time, the authorities also intend to complete the development of planned regulations, prepare and publish the 5th national report of the EITI (Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative) of Armenia. On the recommendation of the EITI International Secretariat, work on the document began in 2024 alone. According to preliminary estimates, work on the report will take place in 2-3 quarters, and a conference for its presentation will be organized in the 3rd quarter.
The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Board approved Armenia's EITI candidature application at the EITI board meeting held in Bogota, Colombia on 9 March 2017 and Armenia attained the EITI candidacy status. Thereby, Armenia became the 52th country that implements the EITI Standard. "Implementing EITI will lead to transparency in the mining sector and increase accountability to citizens. These factors are essential for improvement of the business environment in the country. A well-managed natural resource extraction can become more profitable for the citizens of Armenia, and the EITI is the right tool to achieve this goal. By dint of EITI a huge amount of relevant data and useful information will be available to the all beneficiaries. And the most valuable aspect of the EITI process is the fact, that the multi-stakeholder critical engagement will lead to increased trust and cooperation between all involved parties." said Chief of Staff-Minister and MSG Chair Davit Harutyunyan. The EITI in Armenia creates a platform for the government, companies and civil society to hold a dialogue on financial accountability in the extractive industries. The delegation of the Republic of Armenia participated at the EITI Board meeting in Colombia.
On September 19 and 20, 2016 the Government Staff of Armenia together with USAID Armenia held a "Mine Inspection and Reclamation Bonding" training for the members of the EITI Armenia multi- stakeholder group and other specialists in mining sector. The training was conducted by Ruth Seeger and Sonny Thornborrow from the US Forest Service of the United States Department of Agriculture. The training was aimed at capacity building of the EITI Armenia multi-stakeholder group members and other specialists involved in the EITI implementation process. The training started with a welcome speeches by the Minister - Government Chief of Staff, President of the Armenia EITI MSG David Harutyunyan and the head of USAID Armenia Deborah Grieser. Thereafter, the trainers introduced the US practice for mine reclamation bonding, inspections for operating plans of the mining companies, inspections and monitoring, qualifications of the inspectors, Community Environmental Monitoring Plan and Good Neighbor Agreements. The participants held discussions on international and existing procedures in Armenia, current problems and possible solutions. On the second day of the training the participants made a study visit to the Sotk gold mine and straightened their knowledge using checklists on spot.
