Global Witness - Breaking the links between natural resources, conflict and corruption
UN Resolutions
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
The role of diamonds in fueling conflict, penalties for sanctions
violators, and a possible permanent monitoring mechanism for UN
sanctions ...
Cote d'Ivoire
UN Security Council Resolution 1643 that imposes an embargo on diamonds from Cote d'Ivoire - 15 December 2005
Angola
Security Council resolution 1374 (2001) on the situation in Angola
Security Council resolution 1348 (2001) on the situation in Angola
Security Council resolution 1336 (2001) on the situation in Angola
Supplementary report of the Monitoring Mechanism on Sanctions against UNITA (S/2001/966)
...The Monitoring Mechanism has been charged with the responsibility of collecting information and investigating leads relating to violations of pertinent sanctions resolutions "with a view to improving the implementation of the measures imposed against UNITA".
(15 October 2001)
Fowler Report
Letter dated 4 June 1999 from the Chairman of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to Resolution 864 (1993) concerning the situation in Angola addressed to the President of the Security Council
(4 June 1999)
Democratic Republic of Congo
Security Council resolution 1341 (2001) on the situation concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: exploitation of natural resources continues 'unabated,' UN panel reports
An addendum to the April report of the UN Panel of Experts on the illegal exploitation of natural resources and other forms of wealth in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has recommended imposing a moratorium on the purchase and import of certain precious commodities from that country...
UN Panel Calls for Embargo on Congo Exploiters
A UN-appointed panel investigating the plundering of resources in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) urged the UN Security Council to immediately declare an embargo on the import or export of diamonds, gold, timber and minerals from or to Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda.
Report of the Panel of Experts on the Illegal Exploitation of Natural Resources and Other Forms of Wealth of the Democratic Republic of Congo
Illegal exploitation of the mineral and forest resources of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is taking place at an alarming rate. Two phases can be distinguished: mass-scale looting and the systematic and systemic exploitation of natural resources...
Liberia
Security Council resolution 1343 (2001) on the situation in Liberia
UN Imposes Sanctions on Liberia's Diamond Export - (7th March 2001)
Sierra Leone
Security Council resolution 1346 (2001) on the situation in Sierra Leone
Full Text Of UN Security Council Summary Report on Sierra Leone Diamonds
S/2000/1150 - Summary report on the exploratory hearing on Sierra Leone Diamonds
Full Text of UN Security Council's Sierra Leone Resolution
UN Security Council Recalling its previous resolutions and the statements of its President concerning the situation in Sierra Leone, and in particular its resolutions 1132 (1997) of 8 October 1997, 1171 (1998) of 5 June 1998 and 1299 (2000) of 19 May 2000...
UNITED NATIONS Sierra Leone Expert Panel Report
The UN Panel of Experts Report on Sierra Leone
Latest Publications
March 2010
Environmental groups call on French shipping company Delmas to cancel shipment of precious wood from Madagascar
Global Witness and the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) today called on French shipping company Delmas to cancel a shipment to China of hundreds of tons of rosewood from the port of Vohémar, in northeastern Madagascar. The campaign groups accuse the company of facilitating the destruction of Madagascar’s last remaining forests caused by vast illegal logging of rosewood.
Open letter to Delmas shipping company raises concerns over rosewood shipments from Madagascar
An open letter from Global Witness and the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) to Delmas shipping company expressing grave concerns at its involvement in the transport of timber from Madagascar which has been declared illicit by the Malagasy authorities. The groups accuse Delmas of facilitaitng the destruction Madagascar's remaining rosewood forests through illegal logging.
Link between Angolan president's son-in-law and state oil company raises questions about transparency
The son-in-law of the Angolan president has been nominated to the board of a holding company that owns a third of the Portuguese oil firm Galp Energia, which has investments in Angola. The nomination was made by the State oil company, Sonangol, which is responsible for managing Angola's oil on behalf of its citizens. This arrangement raises concerns about conflicts of interest to which Sonangol has not responded.
DR Congo: ex-rebels take over mineral trade extortion racket
Former rebels from the Congrès national pour la défense du peuple (CNDP) have established mafia-style extortion rackets covering some of the most lucrative tin and tantalum mining areas in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Global Witness reported today following four weeks of research in the region.
Global Witness concerned at choice of new Ukraine energy minister
Global Witness is concerned that Yuri Boyko, a controversial figure from the murky past of Ukraine’s gas industry, has been put back in effective charge of a key gas supply route from Russia to the European Union.
Landmark oil and mining transparency initiative faces credibility test as key deadline passes
The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), a pioneering initiative to bring more openness to the world's oil and mining industries, faces a major credibility test after 20 out of 22 countries failed to meet a key deadline today.
Global Witness urges Cambodia’s donors to condemn sponsorship of military units by private businesses
Aid donors to Cambodia, including the US, EU, Japan, China and the World Bank, should send a strong message to the government that they will not countenance the bankrolling of Cambodia’s military by private businesses. This call follows the announcement last week by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen of the formation of 42 official partnerships between private businesses and Cambodian military units.
February 2010
A near miss? Lessons learnt from the allocation of mining licences in the Gola Forest Reserve in Sierra Leone
Between 2005 and 2007, two mining licences were issued in the Gola Forest Reserve in Sierra Leone, even though the area was a proposed national park. This new report identifies weaknesses in Sierra Leone's natural resource governance and attempts to draw lessons for the future.
Parliamentary committee report on libel, privacy and press freedom not strong enough to defend public interest reporting
A report on press standards, privacy and libel makes broadly sensible recommendations but does not go far enough to allay fears that England's laws are a barrier to public-interest campaigning.
Campaigners criticise proposals to define palm oil plantations as forests
The Ecosystems Climate Alliance today criticised the EU and Indonesia for attempting to reclassify palm oil plantations as forests, saying this would be a step backwards in efforts to halt climate change though preventing deforestation.
28 countries accused of facilitating money laundering … but key offenders missing
An international financial crime watchdog has named and shamed countries that are failing to stop dirty money entering the financial system, a move welcomed by Global Witness. However, conspicuously absent are major financial centres and secrecy jurisdictions, many of which also have serious weaknesses in their anti-money laundering regulations.
