The Board agreed to grant Guyana an extension of the commencement of Validation

Board decision

The Board provisionally grants Guyana an extension of three months to the commencement of Validation, with the provisional date of commencement being 1 January 2026. 

The following commitments need to be demonstrated by the Government of Guyana in the interim: 

1. An open and inclusive process for the election of the civil society constituency in accordance with Requirement 1.4.a and in adherence with the EITI Civil Society Protocol of the 2023 EITI Standard should be completed by 30 November 2025.
2. Administrative changes in the national secretariat should be initiated by 30 November 2025, so that the new MSG can work in coordination with a National Coordinator with the full confidence of all MSG members.

Background

The International Secretariat received a letter dated 22 September from Minister Vikhram Bharatt of the Ministry of Natural Resources of Guyana requesting for an extension of commencement of Validation which was scheduled to start on 1 October 2025. The letter cited as ground for extension the national elections held on 1 September 2025 which necessitates the appointment of new agency heads that will be involved in EITI implementation. It noted that an extension will create an opportunity to relaunch the selection process for civil society given the concerns raised regarding the independence of the selection process. The Government of Guyana also recognised the need to appoint an independent convenor to lead the CSO constituency in the selection process, and to address administrative issues at the national secretariat.