Conference 2016: MAKING TRANSPARENCY POSSIBLE

A 3-day conference with 35 speakers from 19 countries. 

12th December: How to expose a rich thief? Meet investigative journalists from all over the world who will share their challenges and advices.

WHEN: Monday 12th December, 2016, 19:00 - 22:00.

WHERE: "Wergelandssalen",  Litteraturhuset/House of Literature, Wergelandsveien 29, Oslo.

  • See program 12th December  
    • "The art of exposing a rich thief"
      Host of the day - Prof. of Journalism Kristin Skare Orgeret, Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences (HiOA)

      19:00 – 19:15:  Welcome: by Jan Gunnar Furuly, Chairman of SKUP Award (SKUP).

      19:15 – 20:20: Journalistic investigations from three continents.
      -The stories.
      -Challenges and solutions along the way.
      -Consequences of exposure.

    • Journalists participating:

      - Clare Rewcastle Brown, investigative reporter and founder of Sarawak Report and Radio Free Sarawak, Malaysia
      - Craig McKune, investigative journalist for amaBhungane, Centre for Investigative Journlism, South Africa
      - Rodrigo Veliz, investigative journalist, Guatemala

      20:20 - 20:40: Break: Norwegian Christmas drink and gingerbread

      20: 40- 21:10: Panama Papers: Cooperation across borders, professions and newsrooms.

      Journalists participating:

      - Johannes Kr. Kristjansson, investigative journalist for Reykjavik Media
      - Kristine Agalaryan, investigative journalist for ww.hetq.am, Armenia
      - Joshua Olufemi, investigative journalist at Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism, Nigeria

      21:10- 21:30: Debate: When the state does not want to, or is incapable of investigating use of tax havens, and journalists are left to do the job:
      - How can the conditions for investigative journalism be improved?
      - Does Panama Papers signify a new era in the field of investigative journalism?

    •  

13th December: Making Transparency Possible: How to disclose multinational companies' secrecy, corruption and tax avoidance?  Meet academics, investigative journalists, whistleblower, lawyers, trade union leaders who will share their stories and insights.

WHEN: Tuesday 13th and Wednesday 14th December, 2016.

WHERE: "Athene", Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences (Høgskolen i Oslo og Akershus, HiOA), Pilestredet 46, Oslo.

  • See program 13th December
    • "Making Transparency Possible":
      How to reveal multinational companies' tax avoidance?

      Host of the day - Stig Arild Pettersen, journalist and host, Podcast "Du verden!" and "Ja, de penga"

    • 08:15 - 09:00    Registration

      09:00 - 09:15    Welcome, Nina Waaler, vice-rector, Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences (HiOA), Mona Thowsen, secretary general, Publish What You Pay Norway

      09:15 - 09:45    Why Transparency? Cobus de Swardt, Managing Director, Transparency International

    • Session 1: What is the Problem?

    • 09:45 - 10:15    Panama Papers - an expected scandal. Prof. Dr. Juris Beate Sjåfjell, University of Oslo (UiO)

      10:15 - 10:45    The art of making a corporate maze with untraceable structures and owners, PhD. Linn Anker Sørensen, University of Oslo (UiO)

      10:45 - 11:15    Panel debate: What can we do when the legal and economic system prevents neccesary information and insight?
      - Moderator: Prof. of Law and Economics Tina Søreide, Norwegian School of Economics (NHH)
      - Prof. Dr, Juris Beate Sjåfjell, University of Oslo (UiO)
      - PhD. Linn Anker Sørensen, University of Oslo (UiO)

      11:15 - 12:15    Lunch

    • Session 2: Power Asymmetry

    • 12:15 - 12:35    Global power shift: Companies vs. the people. Prof. of Political Economy of International Development and the Environment John Andrew McNeish, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)

      12:35 - 12:55    Why should workers care about their companies' lack of transparency?​ Daniel Bertossa, Director of Policy and Governance, Public Services International, the Global Union Federation

      12:55 - 13:15    Inequality for all? Prof. of Economics Kalle Moene, University of Oslo (UiO)

      13:15 - 14:00    Panel debate:  Global powershift: Why should we care about the consequences?
      - Moderator: Stig Arild Pettersen, journalist and host, Podcast "Du verden!" and "Ja, de penga"
      - Prof. of Political Economy of International Development and the Environment John Andrew McNeish, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)
      - Daniel Bertossa, Director of Policy and Governance, Public Services International, the Global Union Federation
      - Prof. of Economics Kalle Moene, University of Oslo (UiO)
      - Roger Heimli, Norwegian Union of Municipal and General Employees (Fagforbundet)

    • 14:00 - 14:20    Tea/Coffee

    • Session 3: Revelations

    • 14:20 - 14:40    Sued by the president: the cost of exposing oil contracts in Panama, Christian Zurita Ron, investigative journalist, Ecuador

      14:40 - 15:00    How can a journalist explain to the world what is going on in a tax haven? Jan Lukas Strozyk, investigative journalist who worked with Swiss Leaks, Lux Leaks, Panama Leaks, Germany

      15:00 - 15:20    Why I decided to become a whistleblower in the Lux Leaks? Raphaël Halet, former accountant at PwC, Luxembourg

      15:20 - 15:40   Thief or whistleblower -  arrest or protect? Amélie Lefebvre, lawyer, cabinet BOURDON & FORESTIER, which represents the whistleblowers E. Snowden and A. Deltour, France

      15:40 - 16:25    Panel debate: How to get access to information when more than 60% of global transactions are in the dark?
      - Moderator: Assoc. Prof. Anne Hege Simonsen, Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences (HiOA)
      - Christian Zurita Ron, investigative journalist, Ecuador
      - Jan Lukas Strozyk, investigative journalist, Germany
      - Raphaël Halet, former accountant at PwC, Luxembourg
      - Amélie Lefebvre, lawyer, Bourdon & Forestier, France
       

 

14th December: Making Transparency Possible: What tools can nation states use when faced with systemic avoidances? Meet prosecutors, academics, private sector, development institutions, editors and investigative journalists who will share their stories and insights.

WHEN: Tuesday 13th and Wednesday 14th December, 2016.

WHERE: "Athene", Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences (Høgskolen i Oslo og Akershus, HiOA), Pilestredet 46, Oslo.

  • See program 14th December
    • "Making Transparency Possible":
      What tools do governments have in their toolbox, if they want?

      Host of the day - Stig Arild Pettersen, journalist and host, Podcast "Du verden!" and "Ja, de penga"

    • 08:15 - 09:00    Registration

    • 09:00 - 09:05    Welcome, Mona Thowsen, secretary general, Publish What You Pay Norway

    • Session 4: Against all odds

    • 09:05 - 09:15    Brief background on the unique case of Guatemala. Prof. of Political Science Benedicte Bull, University of Oslo (UiO)

      09:15 - 10:00    Against all odds in Guatemala - a corruption case involving the highest political and military levels. Iván Velásquez, CommissionerInternational Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala, (CICIG), Guatemala

      10:00 - 10:30    Panel debate: How to hold a president and a vice-president accountable for corruption charges? 
      - Moderator: Prof. of Political Science Benedicte Bull, University of Oslo (UiO)
      - Ivan Velasquez, CommissionerCICIG, Guatemala
      - Assoc. Prof. Mariel Støen, University of Oslo  (UiO)
      - Rodrigo Veliz, investigative journalist, Guatemala

      10:30 - 11:00    Panel Debate: From Guatemala to Norway: How independent are our own control institutions?
      - Moderator: Stig Arild Pettersen, journalist and host, Podcast "Du verden!" and "Ja, de penga"
      - Hans Christian Holte, Director, The Norwegian Tax Administration
      - Per Kristian Foss, Chairman of the Board of Auditors General, Office for the Auditor General
      - Trond Eirik Schea, Director, The Norwegian National Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime

    • 11:00 - 11:20    Tea/Coffee

    • Session 5: Regulators' efforts after Panama Papers

    • 11:20 - 11:45    Why is it necessary to differentiate between taxation mechanisms and transparency mechanisms? Frian Aarsnes, Director, ECON Management Consulting

    • 11:45 - 12:10    OECD: Friend or foe in a fight for transparency? Prof. of Law and Economics Tina Søreide, Norwegian School of Economics (NHH)

    • 12:10 - 12:35    Private sector: Friend or foe in a fight for transparnecy? Jon Vea, former ambassador to Angola, advisor at Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO)

      12:35 - 13:20    Panel debate: What should Norway do to become a leader in financial transparency?
      - Moderator: Turid Sylte, journalist, Vårt Land
      - Jon Lomøy, Director, Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad)
      - Jon Vea, former ambassador to Angola, advisor, Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO)
      - Prof. of Law and Economics Tina Søreide, Norwegian School of Economics (NHH)
      - Frian Aarsnes, Director, ECON Management Consulting

      13:20 - 14:20    Lunch

    • Session 6: The Fourth Power

    • 14:20 - 14:40    How to be bureau chief in Russia, a country with limited access to insight? John Lloyd, contributing editor, The Financial Times

      14:40 - 15:00    What to do when access to information is not given? Olesya Shmagun, investigative journalist, Russia

      15:00 - 15:20    Access to information: How does it (not) work in Ethiopia? Tsedale Lemma, Editor in Chief of Addis Standard, Ethiopia 

      15:20 - 15:40    Which transparency mechanisms would help journlists with necessary access to information? Arne Jensen, secretary general, the Association of Norwegian Editors

      15:40 - 16:25    Panel debate: What can be done to improve the conditions for investigative journalism?​
      - Moderator: Prof. of Journalism Roy Krøvel, Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences (HiOA)
      -  Prof. of Journalism Elisabeth Eide, Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences, Norwegian PEN
      - John Lloyd, contributing editor, The Financial Times
      - Arne Jensen, secretary general, the Association of Norwegian Editors
      - Siri Gedde-Dahl, journalist, Kapital

    • 16:25 - 16:40     Closing remarks, Jan Gunnar FurulyChairman, SKUP, foundation for promoting investigative journalism in Norway

    • 16:40 - 16:45     Thank You, Mona Thowsen, secretary general, Publish What You Pay Norway

 

Organised by PWYP Norway together with organising Committee: Prof. of Economics, Kalle Moene, Prof. of Development Studies Benedicte Bull, Prof. of Law and Economics Tina Søreide, Prof. of Journalism Roy Krøvel.

Hosted by: SKUPRORGFagforbundetHiOAUiO ESOPPWYP Norway

Financed by: Norad

 

Media contact: 
Tine Eide
Email: tine.eide@pwyp.no
Cell: ​+47 480 87 820