OfD attends meetings in Timor-Leste and Cambodia

OfD attended meetings in Timor-Leste and Cambodia, 24 - 28 November 2008. Petter Nore and Hans Peter Christophersen attended the 1st Steering Committee meeting for phase 2 of the Oil for Development project at Timor-Leste.

Moreover they met with Børre Gunnerud, the project coordinator for the Cambodia petroleum cooperation project to discuss the contract between Wikborg & Rein and CNPA concerning legal advice under the cooperation. Further, there is an institutional contract between NPD and CNPA. Norad and CNPA entered into an agreement dated 30.12.2005 regarding petroleum management support.

The cooperation under these agreements expire end of 2008. An evaluation of the current petroleum cooperation is undertaken by IPAN AS on behalf of Norad. The report will be presented in December.

Meeting with Norwegian People's Aid, Claudio Feo, Regional Director South East Asia. In the beginning of 2008 the CRRT - Cambodia for Resource, Reserve and Transparency - was formed. It is a cooperation amongst 4-5 NGO's. It is funded through Oil for Development through Revenue Watch. The initiative will focus on revenue. Start with EITI (Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative). Another group of organisation will look at social impact with a much broader scope.

Furthermore, meetings on coordination of the Oil for Development with the UNDP Cambodia, The World Bank and the Asian Development Bank took place.