Regional countries urged to streamline mining trade

Countries from the region have been asked to implement the six tools put in place to guide the exploration of mineral resources under the Regional Initiative on Natural Resources (RINR).The call was made yesterday at the beginning of a regional mining audit committee meeting that is underway in Kigali.The six specific tools were put in place to curb the illegal exploitation of natural resources in the Great Lakes Region, and were approved by all 11 member states of the International Conference for the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR).According to the national coordinator for the ICGLR, Isaie Bagabo, of the eleven states, only three have implemented the tools; Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.“There is a general wrong perception that development partners only focus their attention to Rwanda, Uganda and the DR Congo, the reason is that these countries have shown their willingness to implement the tools as it was directed,” he continued.The tools include a regional mineral certification mechanism that would ensure the tracking of the chain of custody of four selected natural resources, namely cassiterite, wolfram, coltan and gold.Others are harmonising of national legislations concerning mining activities, creation of a regional database on mineral flows and the implementation of a whistle-blowing mechanism aimed at capitalizing on the knowledge of individuals witnessing or participating in illicit mineral activities, among others.Bagabo called upon the executive secretariat of the body to make extra efforts to have all member states move at the same pace in the implementation of traceability of minerals.The objective of the meeting is to discuss the modalities of operationalising the audit mainly on the context and the mandate of the committee. Prof Ntumba Luaba, the Executive Secretary ICGLR, said the audit committee is another step forward to facilitate the region’s competition on the international market and it will also free the mineral supply chain from illegal minerals.“The launch of the audit committee is a turning point in the certification mechanism, it is important to ensure effectiveness of establishment of illegal free mineral exploitation as approved by the Heads of state” he stated.ICGLR constitutes of 11 countries; Rwanda, Burundi, DRC, Uganda, Zambia, Sudan, Angola, Tanzania, Central African Republic, Kenya and Congo Brazzaville.

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Regional countries urged to streamline mining trade