Publications

Les diamants en RDC : Un secteur qui peine à briller à nouveau
- IPIS | 28 avril 2025
La République démocratique du Congo (RDC) est un acteur important de l’industrie mondiale du diamant, avec un considérable potentiel encore inexploité. Ce rapport examine la situation actuelle du secteur de l’extraction diamantifère en RDC, notamment les tendances de la production, les principaux défis à relever, ainsi que les efforts déployés et les opportunités qui s’offrent pour relancer le sec

Countering illicit arms and armed groups across Greater West Africa: Re-setting priorities and the utility of large-scale data
- Eric G. Berman | 8 avril 2025
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 sup

The (new) M23 offensive on Goma: Why this long-lasting conflict is not only about minerals and what are its implications? – Q&A
- IPIS | 6 février 2025
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 asses

Due diligence in the arms sector: Possible implications of the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive
- Markus Fahlbusch, Maureen Walschot | 5 février 2025
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 accountabilit

Human rigths due diligence in the global defence industry: lessons from other sectors
- Boris Verbrugge, Didier Verbruggen, Hans Merket | 31 janvier 2025
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 draw

EU acknowledges shortcomings of Conflict Minerals Regulation: What next?
- Guillaume de Brier, Maureen Walschot | 4 décembre 2024
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 Reg

Unconditional Cash Transfers (UCT) in the DRC: A pilot study assessing the socio-economic effects in an artisanal mining zone of Maniema Province
- Erik Gobbers, Stefaan Van wal, Thomas Muller | 16 octobre 2024
Building on previous experience in Uganda, the Belgian organisation Eight World vzw started in October 2021, an Unconditional Cash Transfer (UCT) pilot project in a village in an artisanal mining zone in the territory of Pangi, in Maniema province, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). IPIS has undertaken a comprehensive study to evaluate key indicators related to the socio-economic,

Annual Report 2023
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| 9 septembre 2024
In 2023, the international scene was marked by several high-intensity armed conflicts, with peace-building efforts and diplomacy being cast aside by military solutions and a new global arms race. Peace actors saw their window to engage — to bring their perspective on conflict resolution — greatly reduced. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), violence in the east further escalated […]

Regulating the transportation of small arms and light weapons
- Peter Danssaert | 23 juillet 2024
The use of private transport contractors, including for the provision of transportation, freight forwarding and charter services to ship and deliver small arms, light weapons (SALW), and their parts, components and ammunition, is not adequately covered by national legal and regulatory frameworks. Inadequate regulation of SALW transport service providers, border posts and ports encourage unscrupulo

Voix du Congo: Exploitation des enfants dans les mines artisanales d’or de la chefferie de Mariminza, territoire de Watsa : étude de cas de Menze et Babarau
- RECOREN | 16 juillet 2024
Une publication de la série: VOIX DU CONGO. Télécharger le rapport Cette recherche soulève la problématique du travaildes enfants dans les mines artisanales en chefferiede Mariminza à travers les exemples des carrières de Menze et Bararau (territoire de Watsa, province du Haut-Uélé). A partir d’une approche qualitative basée sur plusieurs entretiens de terrain et une revue de littérature, elle ide

Regulating the brokering of small arms and light weapons
- Brian Wood | 28 juin 2024
Especially since the 1990s, international transfers of SALW and ammunition have been conducted in increasingly differentiated markets. A multitude of products, buyers and suppliers around the world, including State-owned entities and large defence manufacturers, use the services of specialist intermediaries, as well as private agents and dealers […]

Shifting frontlines: Visualizing the evolution of the M23’s territorial influence in early 2024
- Ken Matthysen | 20 juin 2024
In early 2024, IPIS, ASSODIP, and DIIS published a report on the stakes and motivations of the “March 23 Movement” (M23), a rebellion causing serious insecurity and humanitarian suffering in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The movement took up arms again in 2021, and it rapidly seized vast territories in the south-east of North Kivu province in 2022, with military support from the

Voices from Tanzania – Social and economic impacts of land acquisition by Barrick North Mara Gold Mine in Tanzania: A case study of Komarera, Kewanja and Mjini Kati villages in Tarime District
- Himiza Social Justice | 19 juin 2024
In Tanzania, the need for land has increased dramatically in recent years, to accommodate different types of investment that push for the country’s industrialization, economic growth and development. Despite the existence of well-established procedures and legal provisions, challenges persist within Tanzania regarding land acquisition […]

Voices from Tanzania – The social-economic impact of land acquisition practices related to Bulyanhulu Gold Mine on communities in Msalala district council, Shinyanga region
- Rafiki SDO | 17 juin 2024
This publication is part of IPIS’ Voices from Tanzania series and its edition on “The impact of land acquisition practices in the extractive sectors of northern Tanzania”. In their Voices from Tanzania study Rafiki SDO assesses the socio-economic impacts of land acquisition practices by the Bulyanhulu gold mine on 2 villages in Msalala district council, Shinyanga region. Download the report (EN) P

Voices from Tanzania – Small-scale producers’ awareness and involvement in the process of land acquisition for the East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline: The case study of Kilindi district in Tanga region
- HAKIARDHI | 11 juin 2024
This publication is part of IPIS’ Voices from Tanzania series and its edition on “The impact of land acquisition practices in the extractive sectors of northern Tanzania”. In their Voices from Tanzania study HAKIARDHI assesses the level of awareness and involvement of small-scale producers in the land acquisition processes for the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) in 2 villages of Kilin

Voices from Tanzania – The impact of land acquisition processes for the East African Crude Oil Pipeline project on communities in Kiteto district, Manyara region
- KINNAPA Development Programme | 5 juin 2024
This publication is part of IPIS’ Voices from Tanzania series and its edition on “The impact of land acquisition practices in the extractive sectors of northern Tanzania”. In their Voices from Tanzania study Kinnapa Development Programme discusses the impact of land acquisition processes for the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project on 3 village communities in Kiteto district, Manyara re

Human, economic and social costs of small arms and light weapons violence: selected global data
- Brian Wood, Elli Kytomaki, Markus Fahlbusch, Peter Danssaert | 30 mai 2024
This Briefing Paper provides selected global data and figures to highlight the massive global scale and impacts of violence and destabilization committed with small arms and light weapons (SALW) in both conflict and non-conflict settings. This briefing paper alsp includes the enormous economic and social costs, arising from the illicit circulation, diversion, frequent misuse, and inadequate regula

Le M23 « version 2 » : Enjeux, motivations, perceptions et impacts locaux
Depuis 2021, l’est de la République démocratique du Congo (RDC) est à nouveau sous l’emprise du groupe armé du « Mouvement du 23 mars » (M23). Défait en 2013, le M23 a repris les armes en 2021, et réussissait en 2022 à s’emparer rapidement de vastes territoires au sud-est de la province du Nord-Kivu.

Due diligence and corporate accountability in the arms value chain
- Liliana Lizarazo-Rodriguez, Markus Fahlbusch | 27 mars 2024
Given the nature of the products commercialised by arms value chains, and their potentially devastating impacts on human dignity, states have a strict obligation to control operators in this economic sector. But is compliance with export controls sufficient for companies to assess risks to human rights? This report analyses the possibility and necessity of establishing corporate responsibility and

Exploitation minière et conflit dans l’est de la RDC: Une carte narrative interactive
- Alexeï Delanghe, Ken Matthysen | 11 mars 2024
Financement des conflits, ingérence armée et sources d’insécurité au-delà du paradigme des « minerais de conflit » Dans cette carte narrative, IPIS présente les résultats de ses recherches sur le lien entre l’exploitation minière et le financement des conflits dans l’est de la République démocratique du Congo (RDC). Basée sur une enquête menée entre 2021-2023 dans 829 sites miniers actifs (représe