In 2014-2015, PWYP Norway arranged the fourth round of the TRACE-programme (Transparency and Accountability in the Extractive Industries). The TRACE-programme 2014-2015 aimed at increasing the capacity of civil society in four resources-rich countries in Latin America: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Guatemala.
Said by one of the participants:
“La mayor fortaleza de TRACE es la posibilidad de contar con expertos en transparencia y la posibilidad de hacer incidencia en uno de los países participantes.”
“The greatest strength of the TRACE program is the possibility to enter into contact with experts on transparency and the possibility of doing advocacy work in one of the participating countries.”
- Lourdes Molina, economist TRACE 2014-2015
Module 1 of the programme was organized in Oslo, Norge 10-21 November 2014, and lasted for ten days. The goal for these days was to increase the participants possibillity to identify in wich way their country is exposed to revenue and tax leakages, and present and discuss possible transparency mechanisms and measures that can be implemented, unilaterally or internationally, to stop such leakages. The last day of the module was held at the House of Litterature in Oslo as a open conference-day. More than 150 people came to discuss the Industry of Tax Avoidance.
Module 2 was organized in Antigua, Guatemala in cooperation with one of the participating organizations. The participants met 23-25th of March 2015 to analyze different oil contracts and discussed different issues regarding contract transparency. The last day was held in Guatemala CIty. Together with more than 160 representatives from civil society, government, extractive industries and media, the participants contributed to put financial transparency in the extractive industry on the agenda in Guatemala.
In between module 1 and module 2 the participants worked together in country groups to conduct communication work in their countries.
- Number of participants: 21
- Gender balance: 43% women and 57% men
- Participating countries: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Guatemala
- Number of modules: 2
- Participating organizations: 5 media, 4 workers union and 12 civil society organizations
Results of the communication work:
Together the participants have published 51 articles and 74 reports about financial transparency, where they have directly used knowledge acquired through the TRACE-programme. Additionally they have arranged 96 external meetings and 121 internal meetings in their countries, where they have used knowledge from the TRACE-programme.
Are you interested in more information about the participants and the organizations they represent you can search for them in the participation database.
The Programme is financed by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation Norad.