Global Witness - Breaking the links between natural resources, conflict and corruption
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Global Witness has reported on the links between the mineral trade and the armed conflict in eastern DRC for several years. Global Witness investigations in the provinces of North and South Kivu revealed that armed groups and the national army are directly benefiting from the trade in cassiterite (tin ore), gold and other minerals.
For more information, please contact Daniel Balint-Kurti on +44 207 492 5872.
Soldiers of the Congolese national army at a military base 12km north of Goma, November 2008 © Kate Holt 2008
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4 / 9 / 2009 - Credibility gap in due diligence claims
New evidence highlights how international mineral trading companies may still be funding armed groups. Read the press release
18 / 8 / 2009 - Bisie killings show minerals at heart of Congo conflict
Read the press release following Global Witness visit to DRC
21 / 6/ 2009 - 'Faced with a gun, what can you do?'
New Global Witness report on the militarisation of mining
13/5/2009 - NGOs Welcome the U.S. Congo Conflict Minerals Act of 2009
Read the statement by Global Witness and the ENOUGH Project.
14/4/2009 - BBC Newshour report on mining and conflict in eastern DRC
Listen here to a report by BBC correspondent Mark Doyle from a rebel-held mining area of eastern DRC and to Carina Tertsakian, Lead Campaigner on DRC for Global Witness, participating in a follow-up discussion.
16/2/2009 - Metals in mobile phones help finance Congo atrocities - Annual industry meeting highlights need for due diligence on supplies
Read the full press release.
5/2/2009 - Correspondence between the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General to the DRC and Global Witness
Read the letter from the SRSG (MONUC) to Global Witness, 12 January 2009.
Read the letter from Global Witness to the SRSG (MONUC), 5 February 2009.
23/1/2009 - DR Congo: Arrest of CNDP commander Laurent Nkunda
Read the full statement.
7/1/2009 - UN Security Council resolutions addressing natural resource trade in eastern Congo a major step forward, says Global Witness
Read the full press release.
15/12/2008 - Act on Group of Experts' findings on mineral trade funding Congolese armed groups, Global Witness tells governments
Read the full press release.
25/11/2008 - Global Witness briefing for UN Arria meeting on eastern DR Congo
Read the full briefing.
21/11/2008 - UK government must back EU peacekeepers for Congo says new coalition (joint statement)
Read the full press release.
18/11/2008 - A Plea from Local Organizations and Civil Society in North Kivu, Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, to the United Nations Security Council and Other International Leaders
Read the full letter.
14/11/2008 - Recommendations on due diligence for buyers and companies trading in minerals from eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and for their home governments
Global Witness is asking companies trading in minerals from eastern Democratic Republic of Congo to ensure that any minerals they buy neither finance armed groups or military units, nor contribute to human rights abuses at any point along the supply chain. If such guarantees cannot be provided, companies should refuse to buy the minerals.
Read the full recommendations.
1/11/2008 - Resource plunder still driving eastern Congo conflict
Read the full press release.
25/09/2008 - DR Congo: Humanitarian Crisis Deepens as Peace Process Falters (joint NGO statement)
Read the full press release.
10/09/2008 - Control of mines by warring parties threatens peace efforts in eastern Congo
Read the full press release.
28/08/2008 - UK company Afrimex breached the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises by purchasing minerals from a war-torn region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the British government has found
Global Witness press release
Read the full press release.
Final statement of the UK National Contact Point for the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises
Read the final statement.
Complaint against Afrimex (UK) Ltd under the Specific Instance Procedure of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises
Read the full complaint.
23/04/08 - NGO coalition urge international players to appoint a high level independent special advisor on human rights for eastern Congo (joint NGO statement)
Read the full press release.
30/06/2005 - "Under-Mining Peace: Tin - the Explosive Trade in Cassiterite in Eastern DRC"
Global Witness report highlighting the funding from the cassiterite trade to armed groups in eastern DRC
Read the full report.
Latest Publications
September 2010
Global Witness stands by findings on Sudanese oil data
Global Witness today refuted claims that it had apologized for the findings of its September 2009 report, Fuelling Mistrust, on the lack of transparency in Sudan's oil sector. The organisation said that although very important commitments on improving transparency were made recently by the Government of National Unity (GoNU), the full disclosure of oil revenue data and the results of an independent audit remain necessary to prove the concerns were unfounded.
August 2010
Global Witness welcomes Norwegian government disinvestment from predatory loggers Samling
Global Witness welcomes the Norwegian Government Pension Fund's decision to disinvest from the notorious Malaysian timber giant Samling. Global Witness has previously exposed illegal logging by Samling in Cambodia as well as evidence of legal breaches by two Samling-associated companies in Liberia.
Global Witness welcomes new commitment to transparency in Sudan
Global Witness has participated in a landmark seminar on oil revenue transparency in Khartoum, organised by the Sudanese government and attended by foreign oil companies. We welcome the commitment to increase transparency, including an audit of the oil sector and publication of key production and revenue figures.
Global Witness applauds RBS penalty over terrorist financing
Global Witness welcomes the decisive action taken by the UK financial regulator, the FSA, which has fined the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) £5.6 million for failing to check whether its customers were on the UK terrorist sanctions list.
Campbell testimony shines light on blood diamonds and the importance of international justice
Global Witness is attending the trial of former Liberian President Charles Taylor in The Hague as supermodel Naomi Campbell is called to testify. The event offers a useful reminder of the role of natural resources in funding conflict, and of the importance of pursuing justice for the victims of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
