Gold traceability in the Great Lakes region: a solution to put an end to illicit trafficking
Artisanal gold mining is a vital economic activity for the Great Lakes region in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). However, it is also associated with many problems such as illegal mining, conflict financing, human rights violations and environmental degradation.
To remedy this, the Congolese Prime Minister, Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde, expressed the need to put in place gold traceability mechanisms during the opening of the ICGLR Regional Forum on artisanal mining of gold. ‘gold. According to him, gold traceability has become a crucial issue in the region in order to eliminate harmful practices and ensure responsible, ethical and legal exploitation of traded gold. This will also ensure peace and end the financing of insecurity.
The gold trade in the Great Lakes region is particularly prone to smuggling. According to the US Treasury, more than 90% of gold produced in the DRC is illegally exported to neighboring countries, including Rwanda and Uganda. A UN investigation revealed that 50% of the gold exported by Rwanda and 90% of the coltan marketed by this country comes from the DRC.
Faced with this reality, the ICGLR Regional Forum aims to find solutions to stabilize the illicit exploitation of gold and promote the sustainable development of this sector. The main objective is to establish a regional mineral tracking system, thereby ensuring responsible gold trade in the Great Lakes region.
The establishment of gold traceability mechanisms would allow the DRC to fight against illegal trafficking and recover a significant part of the revenue that is currently escaping it. According to experts, the country loses nearly a billion dollars each year due to losses linked to this trafficking.
In conclusion, the traceability of gold constitutes a major issue in the Great Lakes region. By adopting effective traceability mechanisms, it will be possible to put an end to illicit trafficking, promote responsible gold mining and contribute to the economic and social development of the region. It is therefore imperative that local actors, governments and international organizations collaborate closely to put in place concrete measures promoting transparent and effective traceability of gold.