Natural Resource Governance Institute

Hosted by the Revenue Watch Institute, the Natural Resource Charter provides guidance to governments, companies, and civil society groups for improving the governance and management of oil, gas, and mineral resources. Organized as a set of principles drafted by expert researchers and practitioners, the Charter establishes a global standard of best practice and serves as a planning tool for improving the use of natural resource wealth. This phase of the project would focus on (1) updating and expanding the Charter’s policy recommendations; (2) developing a framework that resource-rich countries can use to assess their progress in implementing the Charter’s principles; and (3) supporting civil society groups advocating for the Charter’s adoption in their countries.

The Revenue Watch Institute (RWI) assists countries that are rich in oil, gas, and mining reserves to manage those resources effectively. A Hewlett Foundation grantee since 2006, RWI helps governments negotiate better contract terms with the extractive companies; advances global standards for companies and countries to report the taxes and royalties they pay and collect; and assists civil society organizations, parliaments, and media groups to oversee their governments’ ability to maximize public benefits from the sale of natural resources. In 2013, in addition to their ongoing research and capacity building programs, RWI will be launching the next iteration of the Revenue Watch Index that ranks countries by their natural resource transparency and makes recommendations for improvement. RWI will also be completing a strategic review process that will harmonize their technical assistance and capacity building services, focusing on a set of priority countries to increase their impact. At the international level, RWI will further advocate for greater payment and contract disclosure by governments and companies, and will continue to play a leadership role in platforms where natural resource governance reforms are advanced, such as the Natural Resource Charter, the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, and the Open Government Partnership.