{"id":42160,"date":"2026-06-24T18:05:17","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T16:05:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/?post_type=publication&#038;p=42160"},"modified":"2026-06-25T13:48:47","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T11:48:47","slug":"mapping-mining-permits-in-the-central-african-republic-a-new-dashboard-to-support-extractive-sector-transparency","status":"publish","type":"publication","link":"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/nl\/publication\/mapping-mining-permits-in-the-central-african-republic-a-new-dashboard-to-support-extractive-sector-transparency\/","title":{"rendered":"Mapping mining permits in the Central African Republic: A new dashboard to support extractive sector transparency"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The mining sector of the Central African Republic (CAR) is entering a new phase, but its trajectory remains uncertain. A revised mining code, the lifting of the Kimberley Process conflict diamond embargo and a rapidly expanding gold sector may create new opportunities for investment and public revenues. At the same time, CAR\u2019s suspension from the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) exposed gaps in civil society participation, contract disclosure and beneficial ownership transparency. Persistent concerns around conflict, elite capture and mercenary-linked business actors raise further questions about oversight and who ultimately benefits from the country\u2019s mineral wealth. Together, these developments underline the need for greater transparency. To help address this gap, IPIS launched this <a href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch-dashboard.shinyapps.io\/rca_permis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">interactive dashboard<\/a> that visualises officially published mining permits and brings together contextual information on permit holders, companies, representatives, including their links to foreign countries and actors.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-3e41869c wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch-dashboard.shinyapps.io\/rca_permis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Access the dashboard<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1_Dashboard-of-mining-concessions-in-CAR-2-scaled.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"455\" src=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1_Dashboard-of-mining-concessions-in-CAR-2-1024x455.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-42237\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1_Dashboard-of-mining-concessions-in-CAR-2-1024x455.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1_Dashboard-of-mining-concessions-in-CAR-2-300x133.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1_Dashboard-of-mining-concessions-in-CAR-2-768x341.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1_Dashboard-of-mining-concessions-in-CAR-2-1536x682.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1_Dashboard-of-mining-concessions-in-CAR-2-2048x910.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In August 2024, after nearly four years of discussions and with support from the World Bank, CAR adopted a new mining code. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rfi.fr\/fr\/afrique\/20240612-rca-le-nouveau-code-minier-et-la-geminca-doivent-permettre-au-pays-de-capter-les-recettes-du-secteur\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reform<\/a> was presented as an effort to reduce informality, attract investment, increase public revenues and improve transparency in the sector. Only three months later, in November 2024, CAR was <a href=\"https:\/\/eiti.org\/countries\/central-african-republic\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">suspended by the EITI<\/a>, following a validation that identified breaches of the EITI civil society protocol and gaps in contract and beneficial ownership disclosure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That same week, the <a href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/kimberley-process-lifts-conflict-diamonds-embargo-on-the-central-african-republic-qa\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">KP lifted its embargo on CAR<\/a> diamonds, citing improved conditions. The embargo had been introduced when civil war broke out in 2013, and was partially lifted in 2015 for compliant zones in the west of the country. Its full removal in 2024 reinstated CAR as a full participant in the global diamond trade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These developments create both hopes and concerns. They may open space for more formal investment and stronger state revenues, but they also raise questions about oversight, accountability and who benefits from renewed mining activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-minerals-conflict-and-political-power\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Minerals, conflict and political power<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Diamonds have long dominated CAR\u2019s mining economy, but <a href=\"https:\/\/www.africaintelligence.com\/central-africa\/2023\/06\/05\/zhao-baomei-central-african-republic-s-chinese-mining-queen,109980052-ge0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">gold has become increasingly important<\/a> in recent years. This shift has been driven by an artisanal gold rush, the expansion of semi-mechanised mining \u2013 often involving Chinese operators \u2013 and the development of the country\u2019s first large-scale gold operation at Ndassima by Midas Ressources, reportedly linked to the business network of the <a href=\"https:\/\/alleyesonwagner.org\/2025\/04\/25\/dig-dig-baby-russian-gold-tales-in-central-africa\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Russian mercenary group Wagner<\/a>. Reported data indicate that CAR\u2019s gold production rose sharply from just under 1 tonne in 2021 to <a href=\"https:\/\/oec.world\/en\/profile\/country\/caf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">more than 7 tonnes by 2025<\/a>, although this is still considered to understate the country\u2019s actual production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Minerals have long been intertwined with <a href=\"https:\/\/collections.unu.edu\/eserv\/UNU:10172\/Organized_Crime_and_Conflict_in_CAR.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">conflict, crime, corruption and political power<\/a> in CAR. Building on the legacy of colonial extraction, successive governments have used the mining sector to consolidate influence, reward patronage networks and concentrate wealth. This has fuelled frustration among an impoverished population and created fertile ground for rebellion. Armed groups, in turn, have used mining and mineral trade to finance their activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The country\u2019s mineral wealth did therefore not result in broad-based development. CAR remains one of the poorest countries in the world, ranking 191st on the <a href=\"https:\/\/hdr.undp.org\/data-center\/human-development-index#\/indicies\/HDI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Human Development Index<\/a>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ipcinfo.org\/ipc-country-analysis\/details-map\/en\/c\/1159795\/?iso3=CAF\" rel=\"nofollow\">Food insecurity also remains acute<\/a>, with violence and displacement disrupting farming and livelihoods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since 2021, government forces, supported by Wagner mercenaries and Rwandan bilateral forces, have regained control over large parts of the country for the first time in more than a decade. This counterinsurgency campaign has come at a heavy cost for civilians, with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ohchr.org\/en\/press-releases\/2021\/11\/car-russian-wagner-group-harassing-and-intimidating-civilians-un-experts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">widespread reports of human rights abuses<\/a>, particularly by Wagner forces. Rebel groups, pushed back towards border areas, have shifted from extensive territorial control over mining sites to <a href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/publication\/diamonds-conflict-and-crime-in-the-central-african-republic-the-lifting-of-the-last-kimberley-process-embargo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">hit-and-run attacks, banditry and predation<\/a>. Key mining hotspots across the country continue to experience <a href=\"https:\/\/globalinitiative.net\/analysis\/malicious-markets-mapping-the-violent-ecosystem-in-the-central-african-republic\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">violence affecting artisanal miners<\/a>, while foreign operators, often Chinese, have been targeted in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/china\/china-warns-citizens-risk-becoming-mining-slaves-central-african-republic-gold-2025-11-21\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">attacks and kidnappings<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-tracking-renewed-mining-interest-through-public-permit-data\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tracking renewed mining interest through public permit data<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Renewed state control over several mining areas has strengthened the government\u2019s confidence in the sector and appears to coincide with growing investor interest. As part of transparency efforts associated with EITI implementation, <a href=\"https:\/\/itierca.com\/mine\/apercu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CAR\u2019s national secretariat for EITI<\/a> has published a range of mining contracts and related documents, including information on permit coordinates, companies and company representatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">IPIS manually reviewed these documents and structured the information into a dataset. The available documents show more than 50 new industrial licences issued in 2025 alone, including exploration permits, small-scale industrial permits and large-scale mining licences. Publicly available information for 2026 remains limited, although available <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@ministeresecretariatgenera1384\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">video records of Council of Ministers<\/a> meetings indicate that new permits continue to be issued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The data also show growing interest in CAR\u2019s critical and strategic minerals. Since 2021, around 20 large-scale exploration permits have been issued for minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper and uranium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">IPIS\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch-dashboard.shinyapps.io\/rca_permis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">interactive dashboard <\/a>serves to make this information easier to explore. The tool allows users to visualise mining permits, filter them by key characteristics, and access contextual information on permit holders, representatives and possible country associations. This information is based on official documents and complemented by open-source research, including reporting by the UN, companies, civil society and media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-what-permit-data-reveal-and-what-remains-hidden\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What permit data reveal, and what remains hidden<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The dashboard reveals a diverse set of companies and permit holders. Most are little-known entities, with limited publicly available information. IPIS\u2019 research identified links to a wide range of countries through company registration, ownership structures, representatives or related companies, including China, Russia, Rwanda, United Arab Emirates and several European and African countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, the available information often remains incomplete. In many cases, it is difficult to identify beneficial owners or to determine whether companies are operational, speculative or inactive. These gaps are especially concerning in a sector marked by persistent reports of <a href=\"https:\/\/globalinitiative.net\/analysis\/malicious-markets-mapping-the-violent-ecosystem-in-the-central-african-republic\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">criminality and corruption<\/a>. CAR\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.africaintelligence.com\/central-africa\/2026\/05\/18\/sigma-mining-the-low-profile-emirati-company-at-the-heart-of-car-s-gold-system,110765443-ge0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">gold trade<\/a>, in particular, has evolved into a hybrid system in which official channels and parallel networks often overlap. This raises important questions about public revenue, oversight and the distribution of benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns has-background is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-7387b849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\" style=\"background-color:#eff0ec\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div style=\"height:1px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>CAR Geoscience Developments: an illustrative example of complex company linkages<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2023, the little-known CAR Geoscience Developments (CGD) was allocated <a href=\"https:\/\/itierca.com\/download\/?t=document&amp;id=323&amp;action=all_file\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">five large early-stage exploration titles<\/a> for &#8220;all minerals substances&#8221;, covering 130,000 km\u00b2 in total \u2013 an area comparable to Greece and more than four times the size of Belgium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cargeoscience.com\/capital-structure-of-car-geoscience\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Company websites<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/itierca.com\/download\/?t=document&amp;id=140&amp;action=all_file\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">official documents<\/a> describe CGD as represented by Lee John Cole and co-owned by the CAR government and Ecumene, through the intermediary company CAR Development Partners. The exact Ecumene entity name varies across sources, with references to Ecumene PLC, Ecumene Impact Mining and Ecumene Critical Minerals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk\/company\/04437775\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">UK Companies House records<\/a> state that CGD was incorporated in the UK in 2002 as Reemax Technical, renamed Kingston Scientific Partnership shortly afterwards, and renamed CAR Geoscience Developments in December 2023. The company was active in \u201csupport activities for other mining and quarrying\u201d and dissolved in 2025. The same records indicate that Linden Boyne had been the company\u2019s director since 2009.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Although these records do not mention Lee John Cole, he and Boyne appear together in several other public reports. They were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sec.gov\/enforcement-litigation\/litigation-releases\/lr-22529\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">charged with fraud<\/a> by the US Securities and Exchange Commission in relation to their roles as executive officers of Electronic Game Card Inc., were shareholders in the collapsed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/business\/2012\/jan\/26\/first-london-bank-may-face-legal-action\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">First London investment bank<\/a>, and were reportedly involved in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.abc.net.au\/news\/2016-04-06\/panama-papers-australian-pair-linked-to-north-korea-mining-deals\/7303512\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">mining deal with North Korea<\/a> through EG Mining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Mining-licenses-granted-to-CAR-Geoscience-Developments-or-linked-companies.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Mining-licenses-granted-to-CAR-Geoscience-Developments-or-linked-companies.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-42174\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Mining licenses granted to CAR Geoscience Developments or linked companies.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cargeoscience.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CGD\u2019s website<\/a> also states that its work resulted in 12 licenses being granted to \u201cnational mining companies\u201d active in iron, copper, precious metals, industrial minerals and battery minerals. This appears to correspond to a broader package of 12 exploration permits granted in September 2022 to Central African Iron, Central African Copper, Central African Battery Minerals and Baobab Precious Metals, companies for which little additional public information could be found. Most follow a similar \u201cCentral African [mineral]\u201d name structure. Baobab Precious Metals does not, but its permits were granted on the same date as several of the others, and one of its permit areas fits tightly between two permits assigned to Central African Iron.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This example does not provide a complete picture of CGD\u2019s ownership, activities or role in CAR. It does show why permit data alone is insufficient, and why additional transparency on company structures, representatives and related business networks is needed to support meaningful public oversight. More information on CGD, its permits and the sources used for this assessment can be found in the dashboard.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-why-transparency-matters\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why transparency matters<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Improving transparency in CAR\u2019s mining sector is not a technical issue only. As also highlighted by the <a href=\"https:\/\/meetings.imf.org\/en\/-\/media\/files\/publications\/cr\/2025\/french\/1caffa2025001.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">International Monetary Fund (IMF)<\/a>, it is a precondition for better sector oversight, stronger public revenue management, more responsible investment and reduced risks of corruption, elite capture and conflict financing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is also central to any future effort to address CAR\u2019s EITI suspension, with the next validation expected in 2028. More accessible information on permits, companies and ownership structures can support evidence-based policymaking, help responsible investors assess risks and opportunities, and strengthen public scrutiny by civil society, journalists and other stakeholders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The need for accessible information is even more pressing because field-based monitoring remains very difficult. CAR continues to be one of the most dangerous environments for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unocha.org\/publications\/report\/central-african-republic\/central-african-republic-overview-incidents-affecting-humanitarian-workers-january-april-2026\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">humanitarian<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rfi.fr\/fr\/podcasts\/le-grand-invit%C3%A9-afrique\/20260526-d%C3%A9tention-de-joseph-figueira-en-centrafrique-%C3%A0-bria-j-ai-vraiment-cru-que-je-n-allais-pas-survivre\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">civil society<\/a> actors. Insecurity, access restrictions and <a href=\"https:\/\/freedomhouse.org\/country\/central-african-republic\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pressure on journalists<\/a> and researchers limit independent monitoring of mining areas, while also <a href=\"https:\/\/press.un.org\/en\/2024\/sc15598.doc.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">UN peacekeepers<\/a> and experts face constraints in accessing information and conducting field investigations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This makes it all the more important to organise and open up the information that is available. CAR does not yet have a digital public mining cadastre system, although <a href=\"https:\/\/www.agenceecofin.com\/actualites\/0605-128131-la-rca-mise-sur-la-gouvernance-numerique-pour-transformer-son-secteur-minier\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">plans to develop<\/a> one with World Bank support have been reported. IPIS\u2019 review of official documents also identified inaccuracies in coordinates and overlaps between permits, confirming <a href=\"https:\/\/eiti.org\/sites\/default\/files\/2024-10\/Central%20African%20Republic%20EITI%202024%20Validation%20-%20Final%20Validation%20report%20%28October%202024%29.pdf?hash=1781690400\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">EITI\u2019s observation<\/a> that rebuilding an accurate list of active mining rights will require extensive data cleaning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch-dashboard.shinyapps.io\/rca_permis\/\">This dashboard <\/a>does not replace an official cadastre, nor does it provide definitive information on ownership or activity on the ground. Instead, it aims to make scattered public information more accessible, searchable and useful for policymakers, researchers, civil society, journalists, and other stakeholders interested in CAR\u2019s mining sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-more-on-the-dashboard-functionalities\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">More on the dashboard functionalities <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-left is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-b192c3d7 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch-dashboard.shinyapps.io\/rca_permis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Access the dashboard<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Dashboard-of-mining-concessions-in-CAR_information.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Dashboard-of-mining-concessions-in-CAR_information.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-42185\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/3_Dashboard-of-mining-concessions-in-CAR_company-information.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/3_Dashboard-of-mining-concessions-in-CAR_company-information.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-42189\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The mining sector of the Central African Republic is entering a new phase, but its trajectory remains uncertain. A revised mining code, the lifting of the Kimberley Process conflict diamond embargo and a rapidly expanding gold sector may create new opportunities for investment and public revenues. At the same time, CAR\u2019s suspension from the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) exposed gaps in civil society participation, contract disclosure and beneficial ownership transparency. Persistent concerns around conflict, elite capture and mercenary-linked business actors raise further questions about oversight and who ultimately benefits from the country\u2019s mineral wealth. Together, these developments underline the need for greater transparency. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":42180,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"tags":[7609,174,7441,5216,7562,125],"research-program":[4],"publication-category":[34],"country":[13],"publication-author":[25],"partner":[],"publication-researcher":[],"publication-gis":[],"maps-data":[7232],"publication-editor":[],"data-analysis":[],"surveyor":[],"field-research-coordinator":[],"narrative":[],"class_list":["post-42160","publication","type-publication","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-critical-minerals","tag-data","tag-diamonds","tag-gold","tag-lsm","tag-mining","research-program-natural-resources","publication-category-map","country-central-african-republic","publication-author-ipis","maps-data-maps-of-car"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.7 (Yoast SEO v27.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Mapping mining permits in the Central African Republic: A new dashboard to support extractive sector transparency - IPIS<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/publication\/mapping-mining-permits-in-the-central-african-republic-a-new-dashboard-to-support-extractive-sector-transparency\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"nl_NL\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Mapping mining permits in the Central African Republic: A new dashboard to support extractive sector transparency\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The mining sector of the Central African Republic is entering a new phase, but its trajectory remains uncertain. A revised mining code, the lifting of the Kimberley Process conflict diamond embargo and a rapidly expanding gold sector may create new opportunities for investment and public revenues. At the same time, CAR\u2019s suspension from the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) exposed gaps in civil society participation, contract disclosure and beneficial ownership transparency. Persistent concerns around conflict, elite capture and mercenary-linked business actors raise further questions about oversight and who ultimately benefits from the country\u2019s mineral wealth. 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