YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 25, ARMENPRESS. The first session of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative’s (EITI) multi-stakeholder group was held on November 25 in the Government of Armenia, by which the EITI standard introduction was officially launched in Armenia.

The session was chaired by chief of staff of the government, minister Davit Harutyunyan.

In his opening remarks, Harutyunyan particularly said: “The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative is a global standard to promote the open and accountable management of extractive resources, and 51 countries are currently a member of the initiative by candidate and corresponding statuses. It is a wonderful tool, regardless of political changes in a country, for revealing the problems of the mining field in a cooperative format, providing the transparency and accountability of the field, which in its turn will improve the attractiveness of investments in the mining field and will grow public trust.

The idea of joining the initiative came up within the framework of the Open Government Partnership program.

The Prime Minister of Armenia announced about Armenia’s willingness to introduce EITI standard during the 2015 July 28 anti-corruption council’s session, after which, jointly with the World Bank, the government organized several public awareness meetings in different provinces of Armenia and in Yerevan, with the purpose of briefing the public and mining companies on EITI standards and creation of a multi-stakeholder group.

At the initial stage, EITI will include metal mining, and later a decision might be made to expand its circles.

After forming the working program, directions of cooperation with international partner organizations will more clearly be outlined.”

Currently the group is implementing the presentation of a bid on becoming EITI candidate in 2017.