1. Communicating the EITI 4 th International EITI Conference – Doha 18 February 2009 Sefton Darby S.E.B. Strategy Ltd sefton@sebstrategy.com

2. The four different languages of EITI Oil and mining speak: royalties, concentrating, smelting, mine site rehabilitation... Accounting, auditing and EITI reporting speak: audit standards, materiality, transfer pricing, reconciliation, administrator, certification.... Development speak: good governance, transparency, pro- poor growth, capacity building, sustainable development... EITI speak: aggregation / disaggregation, candidate, compliant, validation.....

3. And the result of all of this is that sometimes EITI is... BLAH

4. Talking Transparency – why a communications guide? Talking Transparency – A Guide to Communicating the EITI is being launched at this conference and is available in hard copy and on the EITI website. Communications is not just a “nice to have” – at least 8 of the EITI validation indicators require some sort of communications activity...

6. Talking Transparency – what does the guide do? Explains why communications matters in EITI implementation. Helps the reader to develop a communications programme. Provides various communications tools and guidance. Outlines several case studies of communications programmes in various countries.

7. What makes a successful communications programme? 1.Starting early – communications is not just the last validation indicator, carried out after the report is produced. 2.A communications programme is not just an information campaign – it is about how you engage with all stakeholders. 3.Allocate resources – someone in the national EITI secretariat has to be responsible for communications. 4.Identify relevant stakeholders – and realise that your key stakeholders are the ones who don’t agree with you.

8. What makes a successful communications programme? 5.Define the message – develop different messages for different audiences at different stages of the EITI process. 6.Get feedback – this is a transparency process – let stakeholders talk to you. 7.Review and address issues – you will never get it right first time.

9. A few irrelevant thoughts... EITI has done amazingly well to get where it has, especially in light of recent high commodity prices – very few countries carry out reform at $140 a barrel. But this is the first EITI conference at which no new EITI policy has agreed – EITI needs to keep on moving forward, taking on new issues – forestry? contract transparency? Audit standards are missing in action – people need to understand the reconciliation and audit process better because some EITI reports are simply not credible. Will the validation framework be reviewed in mid-2010 after the majority of countries have gone through the first round?

10. Contact Sefton Darby S.E.B. Strategy Ltd sefton@sebstrategy.com website: www.sebstrategy.com