Global Witness - Breaking the links between natural resources, conflict and corruption
The ability of parties to a conflict to exploit natural resources depends on their access to external markets. Take away the ability to profit from resource extraction and they can no longer exacerbate or sustain conflict. Although it is now universally accepted that revenue from natural resources provided the logistics for war in countries such as Angola, Cambodia, Liberia and Sierra Leone, the international community has yet to address this problem effectively and systematically.The international community needs to address resource-related conflicts in a way that tackles their particular character: in other words, by proactively addressing the trade that underlies the war, as well as the war itself. Global Witness believes that the international community, led by the Security Council, should put a comprehensive deterrent strategy in place with an authoritative mandate to stop conflict resources from contributing to human rights violations and to remove them from international trade. The first step towards such a strategy is to clearly define what a conflict resource is.
We propose the following definition of conflict resources to invoke international action:
Conflict resources are natural resources whose systematic exploitation and trade in a context of conflict contribute to, benefit from or result in the commission of serious violations of human rights, violations of international humanitarian law or violations amounting to crimes under international law.
Such a definition would assist the international community in differentiating between cases where natural resources are legitimately used to pay the costs of conflict and in cases where the extraction and trade of such resources is funding illegitimate activity.
An internationally-agreed definition of conflict resources would also prove to be a crucial preventative tool, as it would help identify those situations in which natural resources - as potential conflict drivers - are likely to become conflict resources. It could also play an important role in actually deterring the trade in these resources, and consequent human rights abuses, by providing a clear behavioural red flag for businesses and individuals operating in conflict zones.
Latest Publications
June 2009
Governments urged to renew commitments as diamond meeting closes
Some progress at Kimberley Process diamond meeting but governments must do more to ensure scheme's effectiveness
Blood Diamonds - Time to Plug the Gaps
The landmark Kimberley Process is in danger of losing its credibility, civil society groups warn today, ahead of a key meeting of the scheme established to stop the trade in blood diamonds.
Verdict on UN Climate Change Talks in Bonn
Global Witness campaigner, Davyth Stewart, reflects on tough week of negotiations in Bonn, which yielded mixed results
Briefing note on imminent oil supply crunch
Global Witness is calling for governments to officially and publicly declare that there is an imminent
oil supply crunch and to take urgent measures to develop safe and sustainable alternative energy
systems
ECA Press Conference at Bonn
Going backwards or forwards on Forests and Climate? Environment groups under the bannner of the Ecosystems Climate Alliance hold joint press conference in Bonn as UN Climate Change meeting draws to a close
Global Groups Call for End to Deforestation in Bonn
Global coalition calls on negotiators to deliver a strong climate deal, warning that they will put all of our survival at risk if they do not act immediately to halt deforestation and the industrial logging of the world's primary forests
Global Witness hails commitment of veteran diamond campaigner
Global Witness today paid tribute to the efforts and commitment of Ian Smillie, a founding member of the Kimberley Process, who has decided to end his participation in the rough diamond certification scheme.
Vested interests - Industrial logging and carbon in tropical forests
Industrial logging is a major source of carbon emissions, a primary driver of deforestation and threatens to derail the UN process to reduce deforestation warns Global Witness in a new report.
