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The escalation of conflict in eastern DRC has sparked increased media attention on coltan and its role as a driver of violence. While most coverage has focused on the production and (il)legal trade of coltan in North Kivu, smuggling is also widespread in South Kivu. This report examines the key smuggling routes, contributing factors, and practices.
Cash transfer programmes that provide financial support directly to households have been implemented in many countries as an alternative strategy to fight poverty and to strengthen social protection. In 2021, the Belgian non-profit organisation Eight launched a UCT programme in an artisanal mining zone in the province of Maniema, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. IPIS conducted a pilot and control study on the socio-economic effects of UCTs distributed in this programme.
New mediation efforts have been made throughout June to end the ongoing conflict between the Rwandan-backed M23 rebels and pro-government forces in the North and South Kivu regions of eastern Congo. On June 27th, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda signed a peace agreement in Washington, D.C., aimed at de-escalating tensions and fostering regional stability after years of conflict in eastern DRC. While Trump described the peace agreement as a “tremendous breakthrough”, critics caution that its successful implementation hinges on the political and diplomatic commitment from all parties involved. Although frontlines remained relatively calm in the first half of June, heavy clashes resumed in the second half of the month in both North and South Kivu.
For over a decade, the Central African Republic (CAR) has been at the center of international efforts to curb the trade in conflict diamonds. In 2013, the Kimberley Process (KP) imposed a rough diamond export embargo following a violent coup and widespread reports of rebel financing through diamond mining and trade. While the embargo was partially eased between 2015 and 2019, further progress stalled amid rising geopolitical tensions. Most mining zones remained under embargo until November 2024, when the KP – rather abruptly – lifted the remaining restrictions, citing improved conditions.
Despite the ongoing peace negotiations between the Rwandan-backed M23 rebels and the Congolese government in Doha (Qatar), and the signature of a declaration of principles between Rwanda and the DRC, under the patronage of the United States in Washington, D.C. in April, the evolution of the conflict in eastern DRC has shown no sign of abating.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is an important player in the global diamond industry, with considerable untapped potential. This report discusses the current state of play in the DRC’s diamond mining sector, including production trends, key challenges, as well as efforts and opportunities to revive the sector and to increase its impact on local development and socio-economic well-being.
Greater West Africa is undergoing significant turmoil. In the past five years, more than half of the region’s countries have experienced a coup attempt (a growing threat across the continent) or are confronting armed secessionist movements. While some countries have made progress in confronting the growing threat of armed violence, other states’ abilities to govern have deteriorated. The ready supply of illicit small arms and ammunition—and sometimes even heavy weapons systems—facilitates violent extremism and undermines the rule of law.
By the morning of January 29th, the rebels largely controlled the strategic city of Goma. To provide a quick and understandable explanation of the causes of this humanitarian crisis, the role of natural resources, and in particular minerals, is often overemphasized. While mining and mineral trade inevitably play an important role — being a vital part of the local economy — it is important to assess economic assets more broadly, as well as political interests and social grievances.
The EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), adopted in June 2024, represents a significant effort to enforce corporate accountability for human rights and environmental impacts. However, the Directive’s application to the arms sector is limited due to exclusions in downstream activities such as the sale and use of arms. These exclusions potentially create gaps in accountability, allowing companies to avoid addressing human rights risks linked to the end-use of their products. However, this IPIS Insight argues that the exemption of the arms sector is not as clear-cut as it might appear.
The defence sector, characterized by complex and sensitive supply chains, faces growing international scrutiny to mitigate risks related to human rights violations, conflict financing, and environmental harm. While the sector faces a unique combination of challenges, the report assesses these challenges individually and demonstrates that valuable lessons can be drawn from other industries. It draws vital lessons from the technology and minerals sectors—particularly high-risk supply chains for gold, tin, tungsten, tantalum, and diamonds—to help the defence industry accelerate the integration of effective due diligence practices.
The European Union’s ‘Conflict Minerals’ Regulation (CMR), which came into effect in January 2021, aims to prevent the trade in minerals that finance armed conflict and human rights abuses. However, both a formal evaluation by the European Commission and one conducted by civil society (IPIS/PAX, 2023), highlight significant shortcomings in the implementation and impact of the Conflict Minerals Regulation. This policy paper explores these findings and offers recommendations to enhance the regulation’s effectiveness.
News
In June 2025, IPIS convened a workshop in Dar es Salaam, bringing together 11 civil society organizations (CSOs) to strengthen strategies and coordination for engaging(...)
In March 2025, IPIS successfully launched KUFUATILIA, its civil society organization (CSO) incident monitoring scheme for the mining sector, in Tanzania’s Mara region. KUFUATILIA is(...)
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