Key Highlights
2015 NRGI Conference: 25-26 June at the University of Oxford
This year's conference will focus on the implications of falling commodity prices, bringing together policy makers, practitioners, academics and other leading experts from around the globe to discuss salient policy and governance challenges.
NRGI Readers: A Primer Series About Resource Governance
Learn about the "resource curse," commodity trading, local content and more. NRGI has created a series of short, illustrated overviews of key topics in our portfolio of work. For the lay reader they serve as a robust introduction to fundamental issues and concepts in resource governance.
Book Launch and Panel: Beyond Governments – Making Collective Governance Work
In New York City on 4 June, the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment, the United Nations Development Programme and NRGI will host an evening discussion on the challenges of collective governance, drawing on the experience of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, which is the subject of a new book by Eddie Rich and Jonas Moberg. (There is also a 1 June launch in Washington, D.C.)
Falling Oil Prices Expose Ghana's Governance Challenges
Ghana has tools to manage the impact of an oil price shock, including the much-praised Petroleum Revenue Management Act and the Ghana Stabilisation Fund. But these measures have recently been put to the test, writes NRGI’s Africa economic analyst Mark Evans. His analysis is part of NRGI’s Falling Prices, Rising Risks series on the new landscape of lower commodity prices.
2015 Course for Senior Government and Private Sector Officials: Apply by 31 May
The application deadline is approaching for this year's executive-level, challenge-focused course on oil, gas and mining governance. The course is held in September and jointly hosted by NRGI and Oxford University’s Blavatnik School of Government.
Book Launch and Panel: Africa's New Oil
"Citizen power is alive and well in Ghana," but not without challenges, observes journalist Celeste Hicks in her new book, Africa’s New Oil: Power, Pipelines and Future Fortunes. On 8 June, she will discuss her findings alongside NRGI’s director of data and analysis, Jim Cust, and other panelists at SOAS in London.
Multimedia
Falling Commodity Prices: Perspectives from Mexico, Guinea, and Beyond
Video from a discussion on resource management and low commodity prices, featuring Sir Paul Collier, NRGI president Daniel Kaufmann, Zeinab Camara and Jose Roberto Lozada Maya, is now online.
Blog
Petroleum Pulls the Purse Strings: Implications of Low Oil Prices for the Nigerian Economy
Previous slumps in oil prices have spelt disaster for Nigeria and other oil-dependent countries. What will be the impact for Nigerians this time around? NRGI's experts and partners have answers.
From Kampala to Budapest, and Back: A Ugandan Civil Society Leader Reflects on Lessons Learned
Don Bwesigye, executive director of the African Centre for Energy and Mineral Policy in Uganda, writes about his experiences at the NRGI-SPP advanced course "Reversing the Resource Curse."
NNPC's "Blank Check," the PwC Nigeria Audit, and Upcoming Research from NRGI
An audit report confirms what many other reports have already concluded: Nigeria's national oil company is broken, and requires urgent overhaul.
Tunisia's Second Act: Noting Progress, Accountability Actors Demand Contract Transparency
To sustain Tunisia's progress in resource governance reform, journalists and civil society actors must now hold the government accountable to its promises.
Fine Print: Making Mining Contracts Work for Mongolia
A recent NRGI workshop on contract analysis and monitoring with the State Great Hural, Mongolia's house of parliament, drew more than 40 key advisors and researchers.
Can Data Analysis Strengthen Dialogue Between Civil Society and Governments?
In many Eurasian countries, stakeholder dialogue on extractive-sector issues is weak. New methodology for evaluating EITI data can help.
Rubbing Shoulders, Linking Arms: Q&A with Rysbek Toktogul
At a recent workshop in Istanbul, a finance manager from Kyrgyzstan’s largest mining project stood out as the only private sector executive in the room. Here's what he learned.
NRGI in the News and Around the Web
Wall Street Journal: Peru Government Backs Stalled Mining Project
Tempo: Good Governance and the Rule of Law in Indonesia
Centre for Public Integrity: Fighting Corruption in Mozambique's Extractive Sector - Can Foreign Laws Work Where Mozambique's Laws Fail?
Bloomberg BNA: Regulatory Policy: Indonesia Considers Legislation to Boost Government Control of Oil, Gas Sectors
Spy Ghana: PRMA Bill does not address issues of concern
Bloomberg Business: Chad to Reschedule $1.5 Billion of Glencore-Led Oil Loans
Daily Trust (Nigeria): Oil Coys, Countries Agree to End Gas Flaring By 2030
Azerbaijan Business Center: Azerbaijan’s prospects in Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative discussed in Baku
ResourceGovernance.org: NRGI president Daniel Kaufmann's quarterly newsletter
The Guardian (Tanzania): Govt commends advocacy for public dialogue on natural resources management.
Inter Press Service: New Anti-Terrorism Law Batters Cameroonians Seeking Secession
Twitter: Daniel Kaufmann spoke at two panels during the Asian Development Bank's annual meeting.
Careers
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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.