Financial Transparency Coalition

LONDON - Organisations representing over 1000 civil society groups have written to the EU calling on it to establish a new standard for company ownership transparency. NGO coalitions including Publish What You Pay, the UN Convention against Corruption civil society coalition and the Task Force on Financial Integrity and Economic Development, are asking for a new standard that companies have to publicly disclose their ultimate, or beneficial, owner.

LONDON - Global Witness is today calling on Glencore to explain potentially corrupt deals in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and is calling on the company to provide more details about its relationship with an Israeli businessman who is key to its substantial mining investments in the country. The concerns, detailed in a briefing for Glencore’s shareholders, are being published on the day of the company’s first AGM as a publicly listed company.

LONDON - Today’s verdict by the Special Court for Sierra Leone that Charles Taylor is guilty of 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity delivers justice for the people of Sierra Leone and marks a momentous step in international efforts to end impunity. It also highlights the crucial role natural resources played in fuelling the country’s conflict, said Global Witness today.

LONDON - Ahead of Thursday’s meeting of the European Parliament's Legal Affairs committee, Global Witness staged a parade of “dictators” in protest at plans to water down upcoming European laws to make oil, mining and timber companies more transparent about the billions of dollars that they pay in revenues to countries around the world. Time and time again Global Witness has highlighted how opaque money flows get squandered and embezzled, leaving ordinary citizens mired in poverty.