Published contracts are a powerful antidote to corruption One-fifth of enforcement actions under the US Foreign Corruption Practices Act originate from oil, gas and mining. The prevalence of corruption in the sector is an unfortunate reality. But 2021 brings better news. Publishing the terms of extractive contracts is a powerful antidote to corruption for resource-rich countries. Contract transparency is rapidly becoming the norm and, from 1 January 2021, all 55 countries implementing the extractive industries transparency initiative (EITI) are required to publish all new contracts and contract amendments. East Africa is rich in extractive resources. To withstand the impact of Covid-19 and volatile commodity prices, it must build a resilient and accountable extractive sector that benefits citizens and communities. Progress has been made on contract transparency across the region and there are good examples of how contract information has been used towards this goal.