LUGOLOOBI CALLS FOR TRANSPARENCY IN NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT State Minister for Planning @AmosLugoloobi has urged oil and mineral-producing countries to ensure their natural resources are managed transparently for the benefit of citizens. Lugoloobi made the call today at the 2026 Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) Global Conference in Brussels, Belgium, where he represented Uganda and shared the country’s experience and achievements since joining EITI. “I therefore make a call for other oil and mineral producing countries to ensure that resources are used transparently and in an accountable way for the benefit of the citizens,” Lugoloobi said. Uganda joined the EITI in 2020 with the objective of ensuring that its natural resources create opportunities and lasting value for citizens. Lugoloobi said Uganda’s participation in the initiative has enabled wider engagement across Government, industry and civil society, with the multi-stakeholder approach providing a platform for dialogue on the management and contribution of extractive resources to national development. He said access to information and data has been central to the process,in addition to the supporting policy dialogue and favourable environment for investment. Lugoloobi said the EITI framework has also given Uganda a basis to examine the contribution of the extractive sector to the economy. “The EITI framework has enabled policymakers to examine the contribution of the extractive sector to the economy and to understand the significance of the whole value chain of the extractive sector, not forgetting the challenges faced that need our attention,” Lugoloobi said. “The Government of Uganda is committed to using its natural resources for infrastructure development, provision of social services and improving the lives of Ugandans,” he said. Lugoloobi reaffirmed Uganda’s commitment to transparency in the extractive industry, saying the EITI will continue to contribute to the country’s national development process. The Global EITI community at the Brussels conference included: Ministers, EITI officials, industry representatives, civil society and other stakeholders involved in extractive-sector governance.