"Burma Accepted for EITI Scheme, But NGOs Remain Concerned", 3 July 2014

The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), a global anti-corruption scheme, announced…that Burma has been accepted as a candidate country. The decision means Burma has to comply with an international transparency standard for oil, gas and mining earnings in the coming years and marks an important step toward addressing corruption in the country…Burmese civil society groups warn, however, that they have serious doubts over the government’s commitment to ensuring a safe environment for NGOs that are supposed to participate in the international scheme…International NGO Global Witness criticized the oil and gas bidding…and said it was marked by high levels of corporate secrecy...The UK-based transparency campaign group said such secrecy is often used to hide high-level corruption…