April 2015 News and Analysis from NRGI
Key Highlights
NRGI experts have launched a series of op-eds, blog posts, events and reports about the new landscape of lower oil and mineral prices—what it means for specific countries, and also what silver linings the depressed prices may hold for reform-minded policy makers. NRGI will add new content to the series frequently over the coming months. You can follow the series on our site, and also by keeping an eye on our Twitter feed and Facebook page.
Apply for 2015 Course for Senior Government and Private Sector Officials
NRGI and Oxford University’s Blavatnik School of Government will again offer their executive-level, challenge-focused course on oil, gas and mining governance. Over the duration of six days in September, participants will examine extractive resource management and develop strategies to transform resources into sustained prosperity.
Q&A with Daniel Kaufmann: "Transparency is the Best Disinfectant"
In a wide-ranging interview with Critical Resource, NRGI president Daniel Kaufmann highlights leaders and laggards among extractive firms, the challenges that resource-rich countries face, and major governance trends. "Due to the drop in commodity prices, there is a genuine opportunity for change right now," he says.
Can Buhari Turn Nigeria's Oil into Wealth for Citizens?
The win by Nigeria's opposition leader signaled a major step forward for democracy -- but what about for prosperity? NRGI's Alexandra Gillies explores the oil-related dynamics of the election and its aftermath in this piece published by the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Statoil Disclosures Undermine US Oil Lobby Arguments
NRGI has commended Norwegian energy giant Statoil's detailed disclosure of the payments it makes to 18 governments around the world. Statoil is the first major oil company to report under a global transparency standard being adopted in a growing number of jurisdictions.
Final Call for Applications: NRGI-Petrad Fellowship 2015
Applications for the 2015 NRGI-Petrad Petroleum Governance Fellowship must be submitted by tomorrow, 17 April 2015. This year the fellowship is open to civil society leaders from Ghana, Iraq, Myanmar, Tanzania and Uganda.
Spotlight on Data
Many national mining companies have been marked by serious management and governance problems. In total, six of the 10 state-owned mining companies assessed by NRGI's Resource Governance Index rank as “failing,” as shown in the graphic below depicting scores for a range of state-owned oil and mining companies. (For more on the management of state companies, see NRGI's new paper, Copper Giants: Lessons from State-Owned Mining Companies in the DRC and Zambia.)
Multimedia
Falling Commodity Prices, Rising Tensions
Sir Paul Collier and Daniel Kaufmann were joined in Budapest by Zeinab Camara and Jose Roberto Lozada Maya for a recorded discussion about resource management and low commodity prices, with some specific discussion of Canada, Mexico and Guinea. Video is forthcoming, with accompanying discussion on Twitter. You can also read a summary blog.
Blog
Oil-Rich, Cash-Poor: From Cake to Crumbs for the Libyan State
Six Reasons Why Sovereign Wealth Funds Should Not Invest or Spend at Home The Miracle That Became a Debacle: Iron Ore in Sierra Leone
NRGI Discusses Mining Governance With Deputy Speaker of Kyrgyz Parliament
Training the Trainers: NRGI Launches Global Series With Revenue Management Workshop in Colombia It's Time for a Re-think on Natural Resource Management in Sierra Leone
Workshop on the Political Economy of the Extractive Imperative in Latin America
NRGI in the News and Around the Web
Twitter: Follow NRGI en Español, NRGI’s new Spanish-language feed
Jakarta Post: Lower oil prices create challenges, opportunities for government
Sustain (International Finance Corporation): Face-to-Face with Civil Society
Public Financial Management Blog (International Monetary Fund): Why Sovereign Wealth Funds Should Not Invest at Home
Good Governance Africa: Sovereign Doubts
Institutional Investor's Sovereign Wealth Center: Minerals-Backed SWFs Show Their Mettle as Coal, Copper Prices Plummet
E&P Magazine: As Election Nears, Nigeria Doubts Multiply
Malaysia Chronicle: 1MDB: So where did the money go?
The Sun Daily (Malaysia): Follow the Money
Tempo (Indonesia): Daniel Kaufmann: Indonesia Needs to Finalize New Oil, Gas Law
African Business Magazine: Commodity middlemen move out of the shadows
Careers
NRGI is hiring. Learn more.
The Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) helps people to realize the benefits of their countries’ endowments of oil, gas and minerals. We do this through technical advice, advocacy, applied research, policy analysis, and capacity development. We work with innovative agents of change within government ministries, civil society, the media, legislatures, the private sector, and international institutions to promote accountable and effective governance in the extractive industries. For more information, please see: www.resourcegovernance.org.