The Papua New Guinea Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (PNG EITI) National Secretariat has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Office of the Auditor-General (AGO) to strengthen collaboration among government reporting agencies and enhance the quality of data in EITI reports.
The MOU was signed on 28 November 2025 in Port Moresby by PNG EITI Executive Director George Kauli and Auditor-General Gordon Kega.
The agreement represents a key step towards improving the accuracy of revenue data from the extractive sector. It enables the AGO to undertake the Agreed-Upon Procedure (AUP), testing receipts of revenue data provided by government entities for the 2024 PNG EITI Report and subsequent reports, thereby providing greater assurance and reliability of the information.
Kauli said the signing forms part of the government’s commitment to ensure transparent reporting of revenue flows from the extractive industries, in line with national policies for transformation and accountability and PNG EITI standards.
He expressed gratitude to the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for providing both financial and technical support for the project. Kauli also thanked the project’s key beneficiaries, the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) and the Office of the Attorney-General, as well as government reporting agencies including the Internal Revenue Commission, Mineral Resource Authority, PNG Customs, Department of National Planning and Monitoring, Department of Treasury, and Conservation and Environment Protection Authority.
“The signing of this MOU is a significant milestone in the implementation of the project,” Kauli said. “The project now aims to foster institutional strengthening, provide further capacity building for AGO staff, NPA personnel and PNG EITI Secretariat officers, and expand AUP testing across all government entities.”
Auditor-General Gordon Kega described the agreement as a “significant milestone” that will strengthen accountability in PNG’s resource sector. “This MOU demonstrates our shared commitment to transparency. By working together, we can ensure that revenue from our extractive industries is properly accounted for and used for the benefit of our people,” he said.
He added that the partnership with PNG EITI goes beyond technical arrangements, serving as an important step towards improving public trust, strengthening government systems, and supporting better governance.
JICA, which funds Phase 2 of the Project for Improving Resource-Related Revenue Management, welcomed the signing. Chief JICA representative in PNG, Hideaki Matsuoka, said: “We are excited to be part of this milestone. A stronger partnership between PNG EITI and AGO will help improve the sharing of information across government agencies.”
Deputy Secretary for Economic Policy at the Department of Treasury and Acting Chair of the PNG EITI Main Stakeholder Group, John Uware, welcomed representatives from JICA, AGO and other government departments to the ceremony.
“The PNG Department of Treasury, which facilitates the implementation of EITI standards in PNG, will continue to support the achievement of agreed outcomes and looks forward to the successful execution of this understanding,” he said.
