August 2020 News and Analysis from NRGI

News from NRGI
30 August 2020

Highlights

Resource Governance Index: 2020 Interim Evaluation Report for the Democratic Republic of Congo

This interim evaluation using the Resource Governance Index methodology finds that the DRC has improved elements of natural resource governance since 2017. However, the results indicate that work remains if citizens are to benefit from global demand for strategic minerals. (Also available in French.)

Coronavirus, Oil and Latin America: The Urgency of Economic Diversification and Energy Transition
Governments must urgently move ahead with economic diversification and energy transitions to ensure the availability of jobs, energy and fiscal incomes equivalent to those the oil industry currently provides. (Also available in Spanish.)

Mining’s lack of diversity is a reminder of its dark past in Africa
NRGI's Nafi Chinery and Moses Kulaba spoke to the Financial Times' Investors Chronicle about the issues underlying the lack of diversity in senior management of mining companies in Africa, and how hard data can help address the problem.

Publications

Coronavirus, Mining and Latin America: A Baseless “Race to the Bottom”

There is no reason to slacken regulations in order to promote mining in Latin America; the region should in fact strengthen these standards to prepare for a possible new mining cycle fueled by the transition to clean energy. (Also available in Spanish.)

La reforma del sistema de distribución de regalías colombiano: cambios clave y contexto de crisis por el COVID-19
The crisis context represents a challenge for the reform of the Colombian royalty system, as the proposed changes sacrifice savings and stabilization in order to distribute more money directly to the departments and municipalities.

Code des hydrocarbures Tunisien : Adaptation du processus d’octroi des permis aux bonnes pratiques internationales
To make up for the weaknesses of the current process of granting oil and gas licenses in Tunisia, the country can draw inspiration from good practices and international standards that advocate the use of transparency and competition in licensing.

Blog

Enabling Resilience in Unprecedented Times

The coronavirus pandemic has hit the economies of many resource-rich countries with unprecedented force. To face this challenge, new thinking is needed. NRGI is determined to work with its partners to contribute to the emergence of a new paradigm for managing non-renewable resources.

How Have Governments of Resource-Rich Countries Used Their Sovereign Wealth Funds During the Crisis?
Governments dependent on revenues from commodities are suffering serious budget crises. While many have sought support from the international financial institutions, made drastic spending cuts, or borrowed heavily, a few are blessed with large sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) or entered the crisis with low debt levels. This post explores SWF trends in resource-rich countries.

Events

Financial Times Commodities Global Virtual Summit: The Evolution of the National Oil Company in a Post Covid-19 World
NRGI's Patrick Heller will join an expert panel at this 28 September event, sharing insights from the National Oil Company Database.

VIDEO: Programa OjoPúblico-Pregunta: Reactivación económica: ¿A qué costo? Estándares sociales y ambientales
At this webinar hosted by OjoPúblico, panelists including NRGI's Juan Luis Dammert discussed Peru's economic recovery, considering pressures to relax social and environmental standards and the imperative of economic diversification.

"The Ghana National Petroleum Corporation We Want": A National Stakeholder Conversation

Last week NRGI's Ghana team convened a national stakeholder dialogue on governance of the country's state-owned oil company, GNPC. Featured speakers included deputy energy minister Mohammed Amin Adam, Juliette Twumasi-Anokye, and NRGI's Patrick Heller and Nafi Chinery.