Who are the real winners of Myanmar's latest Oil and Gas Block sales?

In October 2013 and March 2014, Myanmar awarded 36 major oil and gas blocks to 47 international and local companies. Global Witness has contacted each of these winning companies to ask simply: who owns and controls you? Getting full answers to this question is crucial to putting an end to the corruption which has kept Myanmar’s people in poverty for so long. Secret company structures enable powerful individuals to hide their identities and there are countless examples globally of corrupt of officials awarding major deals to companies which they later turn out to own. Putting company ownership details into the public domain provides a crucial safeguard against corruption. Of the 47 companies contacted, only 13 provided responses to Global Witness’ ownership questions. Two private companies have set a positive precedent by revealing full details of the individuals who own and control them. Overall, however, these results reveal a high level of corporate secrecy which must be tackled if Myanmar’s oil and gas riches are to benefit its people.