(b) is effected with the prior permission in writing of the person concerned, or of the Minister granted in respect of any matter which in the opinion of the Minister is of a general nature and may be disclosed in the public interest; 3. [...] The extent to which the sections in both the Minerals and Petroleum Acts extend to the disclosure of the contents of licences and other agreements or contracts between the State and actors in these industries is debatable, but have been relied on in the past to deny access to information by both the State and said actors.29 That said, in a 2021 interview with the Minister of Mines and Energy, Tom. [...] This openness towards joining the Initiative, along with the inclusions made in the National Anti-Corruption Strategy and Action Plan and the passing of the Access to Information Act, is a positive step, considering that in years past, there was a perception officials in the Ministry that “there was no need to be part of the initiative” as the licensing system is “fairly open”, and the costs prohi. [...] In light of the recent policy commitments to join the EITI and the various actions that would follow in meeting the requirements of the Initiative, it is incumbent upon the country to assess its readiness to join and address issues that are set as requirements (including the contract transparency requirement), engage all stakeholders that might be affected by the country’s joining of the EITI (spe. [...] With the lack of accountability, no real consequences can be imposed to prevent and deter corruption.”36 Notwithstanding these limitations and the fact that the EITI is not the cure-all for corruption in the oil, gas and mining sectors, the EITI has grown to be the global gold standard for transparency in the extractive industries, with the membership of many, and the endorsement of several privat.
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- 16
- Published in
- Namibia
