Validation process
Validation is an essential feature of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) process. It serves two critical functions. First, it promotes dialogue and learning at the country level. Second, it safeguards the EITI brand by holding all EITI implementing countries to the same global standard. Candidate Countries must complete a Validation within two years to achieve Compliant status. The EITI Board has established the deadlines for all Candidate Countries, and has agreed to assess countries’ EITI status by these deadlines. Validation provides an independent assessment of the progress achieved by Implementing Countries on their progress on EITI and what measures they should take to make better and faster progress. This assessment is carried out by an independent validator, using the Validation Grid and Indicator Assessment Tools as outlined in the EITI Validation Guide.
Azerbaijan is a first validated country
Azerbaijan has officially started the Validation process on March, 2008. Coffey International Development in association with IPAN and PKF was selected to exercise this process in Azerbaijan. The validation process in Azerbaijan was completed a year earlier – in 2009, though the deadline established for it by the International Board was 9 March, 2010. Coffey International Development presented its final report with positive opinion according to the results of validation in Azerbaijan to EITI International Board.
Taking into account that Azerbaijan has instituted a regular process of disclosing, reconciling and publishing company payments and government receipts; Azerbaijan is the first ever country to complete validation, the EITI's quality assurance process which verifies compliance with EITI principles and criteria; and referring to Validator’s report the EITI Board designated Azerbaijan as EITI Compliant country at the 4th EITI International Conference, held on February 16-18, 2009 in Doha, Qatar. Thereby Azerbaijan became the first EITI Compliant country among 26 candidate countries.
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