DRC webmap updated with newest mining site qualifications

July 18, 2017

IPIS recently updated its interactive webmap on artisanal mining sites in Eastern DRC with data on mining site qualifications from 2016 and the first half of 2017. This minor update is part of a continuous effort to provide an up to date view of the situation on the ground, which is in constant evolution. The webmap’s main data layer originates from mining site visits carried out by IPIS since 200


Mapping the Okapi Wildlife Reserve: images from the previous IPIS Mapathon

May 16, 2017

On Wednesday April 26, IPIS opened its library to host another Missing Maps Mapathon, in collaboration with OpenStreetMap Belgium. We happily welcomed 25 participants, including students from the Antwerp University and new and more experienced OpenSteetMap contributors. The evening started with a gentle introduction on how to trace buildings, roads and other features from


Capacity enhancement workshop on cartography with DRC mining authorities

May 16, 2017

Capacity enhancement workshop on cartography with DRC mining authorities In the framework of its long standing partnership with DRC mining authorities, IPIS held a workshop in Kinshasa from May 8th to 12th, engaging with technical staff of ‘Cadastre Minier’, ‘SAESSCAM’ and ‘Division des mines’. The workshop focussed on Open Source solutions for mapping and web-mapping, such as ‘QGIS’ and ‘qgis2web


IPIS opens up its data!

May 2, 2017

Data collection on peace, development and human rights is an essential part of the research work we do at IPIS. Because we believe in the power of Open Data to stimulate research that contributes to our vision of durable peace, sustainable development and the fulfilment of human rights, we are happy to announce that we are now providing structured access to some of our key datasets. Our data colle


IPIS at the OECD Forum on responsible mineral supply chain

April 28, 2017

IPIS is delighted to participate in the 11th Forum on responsible mineral supply chains in Paris,  from 2 to 4 May . This meeting will provide the opportunity to review and discuss the implementation of the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Minerals, the ICGLR Regional Certification Mechanism and other initiatives to enable responsible mineral supply chains. IPIS will play an active role on May 4, a


Boekvoorstelling Raf Custers “De uitverkoop van Zuid-Amerika”

April 20, 2017

Op 11 mei 2017 om 19u00 is Raf Custers te gast bij IPIS om zijn boek “De uitverkoop van Zuid-Amerika” voor te stellen. Na een reis van 11 maanden door Brazilië, Uruguay, Argentinië, Chili en Bolivië beschrijft Raf Custers hoe burgers in Zuid-Amerika het opnemen tegen multinationale ondernemingen en overheden die hun natuurlijke rijkdommen, hun grondstoffen en hun leefwereld uitverkopen. De boekvoo


IPIS hosts new Missing Maps Mapathon with special focus on DRC National Parks

March 30, 2017

IPIS, Missing Maps and OpenStreetMap Belgium organise another Missing Maps Mapathon on Wednesday April 26, in the IPIS library. Why do we organise this? NGOs working in the South need decent maps in order to reach people who need help. However, in many places the map is not yet complete. That’s why we need your help! How do we help? We teach volunteers how to trace satellite imagery


New IPIS project on mining, human rights and digitalization in Tanzania

March 13, 2017

From late February to early March, two IPIS researchers were in Tanzania to lay the foundations for a new project funded by the Belgian development cooperation. It concerns a mapping of the socio-economic and human rights situation of artisanal and industrial mining in Northwest Tanzania. The project will run for 30 months (until June 2019), and has two main phases. In a first phase, IPIS will und


Launch of SAESSCAM database on artisanal and small-scale mining

March 3, 2017

On February 23rd, IPIS presented in Kinshasa the results of a two years project done in partnership with Pact and Estelle Levin Ltd to support the activities of SAESSCAM (“Service d’accompagnement et d’encadrement du Small-scale mining”), a service of Congolese Ministry of mines. During this project IPIS developed and launched SAESSCAM ASM database, a database to register production and socio-econ


Training on cartography and artisanal mine site inspections in Mambasa

December 23, 2016

French version below – version française ci-dessous Training on cartography and artisanal mine site inspections – Mambasa, Ituri, DRCongo From 10 to 14 December 2016, IPIS organised a training on cartography and artisanal mine site inspections in Mambasa, Ituri. The aim of this training was to launch and prepare the ground for IPIS’ artisanal gold monitoring pilot, financed by the Public-Private A


Het conflict in de Centraal-Afrikaanse Republiek in kaart gebracht.

December 1, 2016

IPIS organiseert op dinsdag 20 december een filmvoorstelling en panelgesprek over het aanhoudende conflict in de Centraal-Afrikaanse Republiek. De Centraal-Afrikaanse Republiek (CAR) was de voorbije jaren het toneel van een bloedig conflict, een staatsgreep en voortdurend geweld. Het onderzoekscentrum IPIS analyseerde de motieven van de partijen bij het conflict, de conflictdynamiek, de roadblocks


SAESSCAM database on artisanal and small-scale mining

November 15, 2016

As part of a project to support good governance in the artisanal and small-scale mining sector in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), IPIS has delivered a functional web application and database for SAESSCAM agents to record production data from artisanal mining sites as well as a publicly accessible interactive webmap. IPIS is engaged in a PROMINES project, in partnership with Pact and Estell


Forum on Conflict Minerals Supply Chain Compliance and Transparency (30 Nov – 2 Dec 2016)

November 15, 2016

Business Intelligence Services (BIS group) announces the Conflict Minerals Supply Chain Compliance and Transparency Forum taking place on 30thNovember – 2nd December 2016, in Berlin, Germany. The meeting will focus on the industry and supplier engagement to eliminate conflict minerals, concepts and practice of collaboration among and across industries, methods for risk mapping for affected compone


Presentation of Gephi, an open source network visualisation tool

November 14, 2016

During the GeONG 2016 conference organised by CartONG in Chambery from 17th to 19th October, IPIS researcher AlexandreJaillon animated a workshop on Gephi, an open-source network visualisation tool, used by IPIS to display power relationships between key stakeholders in Eastern DRC. IPIS uses Gephi, an interactive network visualisation tool, to map and visualize power dynamics in and post-conflict


A fresh look at IPIS data during the DataMinds Analytic-A-Thon

October 28, 2016

IPIS was one of the NGO’s participating in the first Belgian DataMinds Analytic-A-Thon in the weekend of 22 October. The Analytic-A-Thon is a new event format organised by Cognizant, an international consulting firm, that brings together its employees and local NGO’s. About 25 young and bright consultants, equipped with specialised tools for data visualisation (including Tableau and Qlik) dedicate


Missing Maps Mapathon / Wednesday, 26 October 2016

October 4, 2016

IPIS, Missing Maps and OpenStreetMap Belgium organise another Missing Maps MAPATHON on Wednesday October 26, at the IPIS library! IPIS Research and Openstreetmap Belgium invite you to come map for the Missing Maps project with us. By doing so, you will learn how to create the open maps that make the work of NGOs like Doctors Without Borders or IPIS Research easier. After the event, you will be abl


Design of the ICGLR regional database on mineral flows

September 6, 2016

The Executive Secretariat of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), with the financial support of Partnership Africa Canada (PAC), has commissioned a consultancy to design the architecture of the ICGLR Regional Database on mineral flows, one of the six tools of the Regional Initiative on Natural Resources (Lusaka declaration). Estelle Levin Ltd. (ELL) and the International


Bonne gouvernance des ressources naturelles: IPIS / DPDDA Atelier pour la société civile, Bangui

July 18, 2016

Du 29 juin au 1er juillet 2016 IPIS a animé un atelier pour 25 organisations locales de la société civile à Bangui (République centrafricaine). (English below) La formation a été co-organisée avec le projet de l’USAID, Droit de propriété et Développement du diamant artisanal (DPDDA II). Les objectifs de cet atelier étaient de sensibiliser et d’améliorer la connaissance de la bonne gouvernance dans


Missing Maps mapathon / Wednesday, 29 June 2016

June 8, 2016

IPIS, Missing Maps and OpenStreetMap Belgium organise another Missing Maps MAPATHON on Wednesday, June 29, at the IPIS library! IPIS Research and Openstreetmap Belgium invite you to come map for the Missing Maps project with us. By doing so, you will learn how to create the open maps that make the work of NGOs like Doctors Without Borders or IPIS Research easier. After the event, you will be able


Workshop on Corporate Accountability in Tanzania

May 27, 2016

From 23 to 27 May 2016, two IPIS researchers were in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania to organise and facilitate a workshop on engaging corporate accountability for human right impacts of extractive companies. Participants consisted of very engaged civil society representatives from all over the country that work specifically on these issues, namely HakiMadini, CESOPE, FAWOPA, Tanzanian Human Right Defende