I am pleased to share with you an update on the Governance for Extractive Industries initiative of the World Bank Institute, World Bank Africa Region and African Development Bank.  Since the start of 2010 we have been working through a series of conversations and strategy discussions to help process the valuable feedback received during our earlier consultations and to shape what we believe will be a program that complements and builds on the excellent initiatives already underway. This has been a lengthy process of refinement, but we believe a worthwhile one.

This powerpoint presentation is designed to:

1. frame the context for this effort;
2. outline the opportunity identified to add value, and
3. review our proposed approach and initial activities.

We greatly welcome your reactions, suggestions and ideas for collaboration.

In terms of immediate next steps we are looking, together with potential partners, to create an online collaboration space focused on governance for extractive industries issues that would be open to all practitioners and provide an infrastructure to support knowledge sharing, discussion, and creation of communities focused on particular issues and working together for improved accountability outcomes.

At the same time, we are planning for June the first of what we hope will be a series of "Big Conversations" on emerging governance issues for the sector.

We very much hope that you will want to be a part of these efforts. Your engagement is crucial to increase their impact, and ideally should in turn reinforce your own efforts.

Michael D Jarvis
Private Sector Development Specialist
World Bank Institute
mjarvis@worldbank.org