Armenia requests WB to extend Armenia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Support program

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.