Outcome of Validation of Papua New Guinea Decision reference                       Decision basis 2026-39 / BM-67                        EITI Articles of Association 2023, Article 12.1.i 6 October 2026 Board decision Papua New Guinea has achieved a score of 63.5 (Limited) in implementing the 2023 EITI Standard. The overall score reflects an average of the three component scores on Stakeholder engagement, Transparency, and Outcomes and impact. A score of 1 point is added for effectiveness and sustainability of EITI implementation. The Board is encouraged by Papua New Guinea’s progress in beneficial ownership transparency after being grey listed by the Financial Action Task Force. The Board urges government and industry to take concrete steps to address other long-standing issues, such as contract transparency and establishing an EITI reporting law, building on the momentum achieved in implementing beneficial ownership laws and regulations. The Board commends Papua New Guinea’s MSG and National Secretariat for their efforts to improve transparency and understanding of the terms associated with Community Development Agreements. The Board also takes note of follow-up on recommendations to improve data quality and assurance procedures in EITI reporting to improve the reconciliation process. Beyond reporting reforms, the Board acknowledges the rapidly growing informal gold sector, which threatens the traditions and livelihoods of large portions of the country’s rural population. It also recommends strengthening alignment of EITI implementation with national objectives and evolving policy challenges. The Board calls on the MSG to proactively monitor civic space and bring any concerns forward for discussion and action at MSG meetings.  Under the Outcomes and impact component (Limited), the Board notes Papua New Guinea’s 2023-2026 work plan is aligned with national policy priorities on beneficial ownership transparency, subnational disclosures, legislative reform and revenue transparency. The Board finds that progress toward systematic disclosure has been incremental, with PNGEITI continuing to serve as a key source of extractive sector data. While commending PNGEITI’s Open Data Policy, the Board notes that government and companies do not yet consistently provide accessible, machine-readable data in open formats. The Board further notes that the MSG has undertaken active outreach both collectively and through individual constituencies during the period under review, advancing PNGEITI’s national priority of strengthening engagement at the subnational level. Under the Stakeholder engagement component (Good), the Board recognises PNGEITI’s resilience in sustaining an operational national secretariat and MSG after key staff departures. The Board calls for more consistent high-level government engagement to raise the profile of EITI implementation, while industry and civil society should continue to improve outreach to the alluvial sector and subnational community organisations, respectively. The Board commends MSG’s efforts to advance key reforms while noting that achieving tangible results will require sustained commitment over the longer term. The Board welcomes efforts to institutionalise EITI implementation and encourages stakeholders to ensure that any legal framework is consistent with the EITI Standard and supports multi-stakeholder governance, transparency and accountability. The Board encourages active collaboration among all PNG EITI constituent groups to present unified positions to the MSG Chair for submission to Parliament. Under the Transparency component (Limited), the Board notes that public disclosures through government and company websites provide an overview of extractive sector governance, exploration and licensing data and the sector’s economic contribution. The Board acknowledges EITI reporting as a key factor in augmenting systematic disclosures through granular reporting on mining production and exports as well as third-party financing and potential resource-backed loans by state-owned enterprises. At the same time, disclosure gaps were identified for several core thematic areas, including contracts, state participation, subnational payments and transfers as well as environmental payments. The Board calls on the MSG to discuss the applicability of requirements around state participation and strengthen comprehensiveness of non-fiscal disclosures, including contract transparency and community development agreements. The Board has determined that Papua New Guinea will have until a next Validation commencing on 1 July 2029 to carry out 27 corrective actions: Requirement 1.1 (Government engagement), Requirement 1.2 (Company engagement), Requirement 1.3 (Civil society engagement), Requirement 1.4 (Multi-stakeholder group governance), Requirement 1.5 (Work plan, monitoring and review), Requirement 2.2 (Contracts and license allocations), Requirement 2.3 (License register), Requirement 2.4 (Contracts and licenses), Requirement 2.5 (Beneficial ownership), Requirement 2.6 (State participation), Requirement 3.2 (Production data), Requirement 3.3 (Export data), Requirement 4.1 (Comprehensive disclosure of taxes and revenues), Requirement 4.2 (Sale of the state’s share of production or other revenues collected in kind), Requirement 4.3 (Barter agreements), Requirement 4.5 (Transactions related to state-owned enterprises), Requirement 4.6 (Subnational payments), Requirement 4.7 (Level of disaggregation), Requirement 4.8 (Data timeliness), Requirement 4.9 (Data quality and assurance), Requirement 4.10 (Project costs), Requirement 5.2 (Subnational transfers), Requirement 6.1 (Social expenditures and environmental payments), Requirement 6.3 (Contribution of the extractive sector to the economy), Requirement 6.4 (Environmental and social impact of extractive activities), Requirement 7.1 (Public debate), Requirement 7.2 (Data accessibility and open data), Requirement 7.3 (Recommendations from EITI implementation).   In accordance with Art. 6, Section 1 of Part 2 of the 2023 EITI Standard, the following 14 Requirements are subject to mid-term monitoring after 18 months (1 April 2028): Requirement 1.1 (Government engagement), Requirement 1.5 (Work plan), Requirement 2.4 (Contracts and licenses), Requirement 2.6 (State participation), Requirement 4.3 (Barter agreements), Requirement 4.6 (Direct subnational payments), Requirement 4.9 (Data quality and assurance), Requirement 4.10 (Project costs), Requirement 5.2 (Subnational transfers), EITI Requirement 6.1 (Social and environmental expenditures), Requirement 6.2 (Quasi-fiscal expenditures), Requirement 6.4 (Environmental impact) and Requirement 7.3 (Recommendations from EITI), and to address concerns on broader civic space, Requirement 1.3.f. (MSG civic space monitoring). In accordance with Article 5, section 1 of part 2 of the EITI Standard, the Board will consider the progress on the time-bound corrective actions under Requirement 1.1 after six months (April 2027).  Papua New Guinea is encouraged to consider the strategic recommendations with a view to prioritising those it deems most urgent and relevant. In accordance with the EITI Standard, Papua New Guinea may request an extension of this timeframe or request that Validation commences earlier than scheduled Corrective actions and strategic recommendations Corrective actions The EITI Board agreed the following corrective actions

The University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) hosted its annual Geoscience Open Day at the University campus on Friday, October 9, 2026. The event served as a critical networking platform, bridging the gap between industry stakeholders, tertiary institutions and secondary schools. Among the prominent stakeholders invited to participate was the Papua New Guinea Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (PNGEITI). They joined major mineral resource giants and regulatory bodies, including the Mineral Resources Authority (MRA), K92 Mining Inc, Great Pacific Gold Corp, New Porgera, and Nickel 28. Secondary education was also represented, with science students from Mount Diamond Secondary School attending to gain key insights into the extractive sector. Officially opening the event, UPNG Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Findlay stated that the presence of such diverse stakeholders highlights the strong professional relationships and ongoing collaboration the university enjoys with the industry. He acknowledged the persistent challenges the university faces in fully preparing its graduates for the modern workforce. However, Professor Findlay emphasized that these strategic partnerships allow the institution to design and teach more targeted, industry-relevant courses to better equip its students. The active educational partnership was further highlighted during the welcoming address by the Associate Professor & Divisional Leader of Earth Sciences, Joseph Espi. He extended special recognition to PNGEITI, commending the organization for its continued collaboration with the School of Earth Sciences through regular guest lectures. The Geoscience Open Day concluded with a guided tour of the Earth Sciences Division, where attendees and students viewed various geological rock specimens, followed by a buffet for the participants.

The Papua New Guinea Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (PNGEITI)has successfully rolled out a series of tertiary awareness activities across three higher education institutions in the country. As part of its ongoing mission to promote public understanding of natural resource management, PNGEITI from the 21st – 25th September, 2026 conducted joint lectures at Divine Word University and the PNG Maritime College in Madang, as well as the Lutheran University in Lae, Morobe Province. The initiative aims to forge long-term partnerships with the country’s tertiary institutions, providing students and staff with vital information on ethical resource management, data-driven policymaking, and multi-stakeholder dialogue within the extractive sector. The presentations, titled “From Natural Resources to Public Benefit,” gave students—particularly those from the Business Studies and Communication Arts faculties, students from Governance and Leadership department, a comprehensive look into how the extractive sector contributes to the national economy. The sessions addressed critical questions regarding the life cycle of resource revenues: The lectures highlighted the role of the EITI Standard, which mandates that extractive companies and government agencies publicly disclose critical data, including: Following the presentations, PNGEITI Director of Projects and Procurement, Diclah Taureka, and Executive Director, George Kauli, engaged with the audience in an interactive question and answer session, allowing students to raise direct questions about governance and accountability in PNG’s resource sector. Mr. Kauli following the presentation donated a copy of the EITI Annual Report to the DWU library.

The PNGEITI Multi-Stakeholder Group (MSG) held its third quarter meeting of 2026 at gateway hotel in Port Moresby on Friday, September 18. Acting MSG Chair, John Uware chaired the meeting. The meeting brought together MSG members and PNGEITI National Secretariat staff to discuss issues of importance concerning the National Secretariat. They (matters for discussion) include special projects and National Secretariat operational updates. The meeting began with the review of matters arising from meeting minutes of second quarter, 2026 followed by updates from respective branch directors. Under Special Projects, Director Projects and Procurement, Diclah Taureka provided update on the following: Officer In-Charge of Policy & Programs, Kari Junior Ora presented the following updates: Under Projects and Procurement, Mr. Taureka provided updates on the follow projects: Director Communication & Stakeholder Engagement, Dickson Sorariba provided update on the following: Manager Finance and Human Resource, Kelly I’mane provided update on the following: Arianne Kassman from Transparency International PNG provided an update for Resource Governance Coliation (RGC). PNG Chamber of Resource and Energy (PNGCORE) also provided an update on the upcoming activities.

Papua New Guinea has existing substantial body of extractive-sector governance data that could help shape the country’s emerging Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting landscape. PNGEITI Executive Director George Kauli told accounting and finance professionals in Lae on 28 August, 2026. Mr Kauli who delivered a presentation titled “Bridging Transparency and Transformation: Integrating PNGEITI Data into National ESG Reporting Frameworks,” at the 2026 Certified Practising Accountant PNG (CPA PNG) in Lae, explained how information generated through the EITI process could contribute to stronger ESG reporting, bringing assurance and investment confidence in Papua New Guinea. It was PNGEITI’s first presentation at a CPA PNG conference, opening a new avenue for engagement with the accounting and finance profession. Mr Kauli said the engagement was particularly important because accountants and finance professionals play a central role on how information is collected, verified, reported and ultimately used for decision-making. Mr Kauli told participants that PNG does not necessarily need to start from scratch in developing the information base required for ESG reporting. Instead, the country has an opportunity to make better use of the credible governance data already being collected, reconciled and disclosed through PNGEITI. Under the EITI Standard, reporting government agencies and extractive companies involved in PNG’s mining and oil and gas sectors disclose information across the extractive industry value chain. This includes contracts and licences, production and exports, government revenues, company payments, beneficial ownership, state participation and subnational payments and transfers, as well as social and environmental expenditures. Mr Kauli explained that existing information provides a strong foundation for connecting transparency with ESG reporting, while potentially reducing duplication across reporting systems. The EITI value chain generates information from licensing and production through to revenue collection, allocation and the benefits received by communities. When these datasets are connected, they provide a more complete picture of how Papua New Guinea’s natural resources contribute to the economy and society. He however, stressed that data is only valuable when it is reliable, comparable, transparent and capable of supporting sound decisions. This is where the relationship between EITI and ESG becomes particularly important. Mr Kauli also emphasised that PNGEITI is more than an organisation that produces annual reports. ‘As Papua New Guinea’s national implementation of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, PNGEITI collects information from reporting government agencies and extractive companies, reconciles payments and receipts, produces independently verified reports and publicly discloses the results. Its broader purpose is to improve transparency, strengthen accountability and support evidence-based policy-making.” He said. Looking at the EITI value chain through an ESG lens, Mr Kauli identified significant areas of overlap. PNGEITI provides governance information on revenues, tax payments, beneficial ownership, contracts, state participation and subnational transfers, whilst capturing social information relating to community investments, local content and benefit sharing. He clarified that PNGEITI is primarily a governance initiative and not an environmental reporting framework. He however, said the information generated through PNGEITI can contribute to all three ESG dimensions and provide a trusted governance-data foundation that complements wider ESG reporting. Mr Kauli said ESG is increasingly influencing how investors assess companies, projects and jurisdictions. For PNG, he said the conversation should therefore go beyond whether companies are producing ESG reports and consider whether investors can trust the information they receive, whether resource revenues can be managed transparently, whether communities are benefiting and whether institutions have the capacity to produce reliable information. “Investment follows confidence and confidence requires credible information,” Mr Kauli said. “ For the accounting profession, one of the key messages was that the focus should not simply be on what data is available, but on how reliable that data is,” he said. Mr Kauli highlighted several characteristics of PNGEITI data, including independent reconciliation, multi-stakeholder oversight, public disclosure and production according to an internationally recognised standard. He added that these principles are closely aligned with the work of accountants and assurance professionals, where the quality of a final report depends on the quality of underlying information, controls, verification processes and supporting evidence. The presentation prompted a question from an accountant, who wanted to know if revenue data collected by PNGEITI is credible and can be relied upon in its reporting. Mr Kauli in response said PNGEITI does not simply accept information provided by extractive companies at face value. Instead, the EITI reporting process applies several layers of verification to establish the reliability of the information. “The credibility of PNGEITI’s revenue data is supported by several layers of verification. Extractive companies provide financial and other relevant information for the specific financial year being reported and that information is subject to their own internal processes and controls, including internal audit processes,” Mr Kauli said. He explained that PNGEITI further verifies company-reported information against records held by relevant government reporting agencies. For example, where an extractive company reports a specific amount of Corporate Income Tax paid for a particular financial year, PNGEITI compares and verifies the information against the corresponding records of the Internal Revenue Commission (IRC). “We don’t just accept the information as reported by companies. We compare and verify it against the relevant government reporting agencies. For example, if a company reports a particular amount of Corporate Income Tax for a financial year, we verify that information with the Internal Revenue Commission,” he said. Mr Kauli added that PNGEITI reporting extends beyond revenue data, covering production, exports and sales, subnational payments and transfers and other information across the extractive industry value chain. The information submitted by reporting entities is ultimately reconciled by the Independent Administrator, providing an additional independent layer to the overall reporting process. He also highlighted further steps PNGEITI is taking to strengthen assurance around government-reported data through the JICA-funded Revenue Management Project, in partnership with the Office of PNG Auditor-General (AGO). “ Through the Agreed-Upon Procedures (AUP), PNGEITI is supporting an additional layer of verification around selected extractive revenue streams and government reporting processes. Unlike a financial audit, AUP involves specific procedures agreed between the relevant parties, with the practitioner reporting factual findings rather than providing an audit