Rights defenders forecast suspension of Azerbaijan's membership in EITI

Azerbaijan's membership in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) may be suspended, as the country's authorities have failed to fulfil the organization's demand to abolish the state registration of foreign donors and grant agreements, said activists of the NGO Council on increasing transparency in extractive industries.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in April 2015, the Azerbaijani status in the EITI was lowered from a "permanent member" down to a "candidate country" due to insufficient influence of the civil society on the processes in oil extraction. At the sitting in Astana on October 24-26, 2016, the government of Azerbaijan was given six months to implement a programme to ensure the country's compliance with EITI standards.

The next sitting of the International Board of the EITI will be held on March 8-9 in Bogotá.

According to Gubad Ibadoglu, the coordinator of the NGO Council for increasing transparency in extractive industries, who is also a member of the International Board of the EITI, "discussions won’t be easy for Azerbaijan." "Azerbaijan has failed with the plan in full; of course, certain steps have been taken: the rules for registration of grants and foreign donors have been simplified. However, these measures are unlikely to be recognized as sufficient," Mr Ibadoglu has explained.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.