{"id":14094,"date":"2020-07-16T15:19:42","date_gmt":"2020-07-16T13:19:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/\/publication\/ipis-briefing-june-2020\/"},"modified":"2020-10-09T11:40:46","modified_gmt":"2020-10-09T09:40:46","slug":"ipis-briefing-june-2020","status":"publish","type":"weekly-briefing","link":"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/nl\/weekly-briefing\/ipis-briefing-june-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"IPIS Briefing June 2020 – Impact of Covid-19 on artisanal miners in DR Congo"},"content":{"rendered":"

The IPIS briefing offers a selection of articles, news and updates on natural resources, armed conflict, Business & Human Rights and arms trade.\u00a0 Every month, an editorial and related publications shed a light on a specific topic in IPIS’ areas of research.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

In focus: Impact of Covid-19 on artisanal miners in DR Congo\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

In the news: Clean gold – How Switzerland could set new supply chain standards;\u00a0Eritrean activists sue EU for funding roads built with ‘forced labour’; Congo Prosecutor Accuses President\u2019s Aide of $52 Million Theft.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

New subscribers can register here<\/a> to receive the briefing and updates on IPIS’ new maps and reports.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

This briefing is produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of IPIS and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

IN FOCUS: IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON ARTISANAL MINERS IN DR CONGO<\/b><\/span><\/h1>\n

As remotely as Congolese artisanal miners live, the Coronavirus has demonstrated how fully they are interlinked with the rest of the world. When DRC and neighbouring countries closed their borders, artisanal miners feared more the economic collapse than the virus. In order to better understand the impact of both the pandemic and its economic consequences, IPIS consulted its network to assess the impact so far on the artisanal mining sector \u2014 its production, supply chain and trad and mining communities, at the economic and security level.<\/p>\n

To answer these questions, IPIS surveyors contacted by phone, on 4 bi-weekly occasions between May and June 2020, representatives (pit owner, cooperative chief, trader, leader of a mining team) of 96 3TG mining sites (12 in Ituri, 36 in Maniema, 12 in North Kivu and 36 in South Kivu) and 13 processing houses (5 in Bunia, 3 in Kindu, 3 in Goma and 2 in Bukavu). These mining sites were selected from the IPIS database as they had been visited by IPIS relatively recently \u2014 between June 2018 and December 2019.<\/p>\n

The economic collapse began when the borders with neighbouring countries closed. All processing houses testified great difficulty to export as the entire transport logistic was disturbed and international borders were shut. These circumstances led to various difficulties for the processing houses, who complained that all they could do was to stock until export was feasible again; fear that the stock of coltan would attract thieves; and difficulty to provide the production promised to their clients. Two processing houses estimated their production loss at 75%.<\/p>\n

Due to export difficulties, processing houses were not able to sell, hence to get income, therefore many processing houses ceased to pre-finance n\u00e9gotiants (1). Consequently, the n\u00e9gotiants ran low on cash and many of them stopped visiting mining sites. In the beginning of May 2020, in Ituri, respondents on all twelve researched mining sites testified that not a single gold n\u00e9gotiant had visited them. Beginning of June, in North Kivu, only one out ten artisanal miner representatives confirmed the visit of a n\u00e9gotiant.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, as miners could not sell their production, many simply abandoned the artisanal mining sector, returning to their place of origin, or moved to agricultural activities in the area. Other miners, working in the extraction of cassiterite and wolframite, moved to gold or coltan mining sites, for which the selling price is higher. One representative of a site producing both gold and cassiterite explained the logic: \u201cWe stopped extracting cassiterite and focused on gold because we make more money, and it is easier to sell gold, even at around 30 dollars the gram than cassiterite at 3 dollars the kilo.\u201d The ease of smuggling and\/or stocking gold in comparison to cassiterite are other reasons for their switch. Interestingly, while many miners deserted the site, beginning of May, 47% of mining sites reported people who came for the first time to work on their site. It is likely that these newcomers are Congolese who lost their job due to the pandemic and saw artisanal mining as a new livelihood. Teachers and, ironically, newly unemployed staff of industrial mining companies were observed in artisanal mining sites. Besides the newcomers, child labour has dramatically raised. Children working in mines during the holiday periods was already a known phenomenon, but in this case, the reemergence of children at mining sites is caused by school closure, one of the government measures taken against the Coronavirus.<\/p>\n

When the borders shut down, the mineral trade came to a halt, which in turn interrupted the influx of cash in the local economy. According to the local population, in most mining sites the price of essential goods has greatly increased. In Maniema, the price of a cup of manioc powder increased by 100% and palm oil by 50% in comparison with the pre-Covid period. In South Kivu mining sites, the word \u201cfamine\u201d was used to qualify the situation. One miner on a mining site in Maniema complained that \u201cyou can see food at the market, but we lack money to buy it, yet we are hungry\u201d. In other zones, food and imported manufactured goods from Bukavu were no longer reaching villages due to the interruption of movement between the provincial capital and small towns, thus price rises.<\/p>\n

While the price for essential goods kept sky-rocketing, the mineral price kept plummeting. The price drop is due to multiple factors. Firstly, there is the lack of cash which impeded traders to buy minerals, as all transactions are in cash. Secondly, the devaluation of the franc congolais (fc) to the US dollar ($), combined with a drop of world market price of the 3T raw minerals meant a value loss. One artisanal miner of South Kivu explained well his situation. In January 2020, before the Coronavirus, he was making $5 for every kilo of cassiterite, the mineral being sold at 8000 fc, at a rate of $1 for 1600 fc. In May, the same cassiterite was sold for 5000 fc (decrease of the world market price), at a rate of $1 for 1900 fc (devaluation of the franc congolais), hence leaving the miner with $2,63. In 4 months, the value of his production had depreciated by 47%.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, gold miners were very much aware that the gold price on the world market was skyrocketing. However, being penniless and in a serious disadvantaged bargaining position with buyers, who rightly argued that they also lacked cash and export prospect, gold miners were forced to sell off their production. During the outbreak of the Coronavirus, gold miners sold their production for 40 to 50% less than the price of the pre-Coronavirus period. In May, the selling price of gold at mining sites and trading houses began to rise again but has not reached the value of the pre-Coronavirus period yet. One artisanal miner from South Kivu explained that before the Coronavirus, he was selling his gold for 120 000 fc. Around February, he had to accept 50 000 fc. At the time of the call, in May, he reported to have sold his gold at 70 000 fc. In Ituri, some miners admitted to have accepted a pittance for their gold, as low as 30 to 35 000 fc for a gram of gold. In May, these Ituri miners reported a minor increase in the selling price, between 50 and 56 000 fc.<\/p>\n

As cash money became scarce, people started to barter, by which miners offered minerals in exchange for essential goods. A miner could trade 1kg of cassiterite for 1kg of rice (both worth around 3000 fc), while the shopkeeper hoped to sell the cassiterite at a better price later on. This practice renders the tracing of the minerals more difficult as it spreads the production in multiple hands, many of whom have no idea how to sell minerals legally. Furthermore, around 10% of mining sites reported to have sold minerals to new traders. These new traders are sometimes experienced traders who visited new sites, but they are also people investing their capital in minerals. One witness in Kaziba (South Kivu) reported that due to the gold price plummeting, \u201cpeople sell their cows, lands, plantation and plenches to buy gold at the lowest price, hoping to resell it at a higher rate when the coronavirus crisis will have passed\u201d.<\/p>\n

Security-wise, the first semester of 2020 has been particularly violent in Eastern Congo. A growth in recruitment amongst young people who suffered from the economic collapse is expected. Media also reported increased activity of armed groups in Eastern Congo. But it is difficult to correlate this increase in violence with the apparition of the Coronavirus. In the period before the Coronavirus, there was an armed presence (including FARDC and Police des Mines) at 50% of the mining sites. In May and June 2020, it seems that it is still the national army that controls most of the sites, and we did not notice attempts by non-state armed groups to control mining sites, and more generally we did not see a significant rise of violence at mining sites. To a greater extent illegal taxation is the main interference reported. For example, in Ituri, FARDC are present on 4 of the 12 mining sites of our survey, and on all of them, they demanded \u00bd gram of gold per month from each pit owner as a contribution to the effort de guerre. In South Kivu, FARDC is present on nearly 10 of the 37 mining sites reviewed in June. On 5 of them, pit owners were requested to pay 1 gram of gold, also as a contribution to the war. On the same five mining sites, the Police des Mines fine miners between 5 000 to 25 000 fc for not wearing a mask.<\/p>\n

IPIS is conducting similar surveys in Tanzania and the Central African Republic. Over the summer, IPIS will publish several reports on the consequences of the pandemic on the artisanal mining sector in Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania and Central African Republic.<\/p>\n

Guillaume de Brier<\/p>\n

(1) In normal circumstances, processing houses pre-finance n\u00e9gotiants who visit mining sites to collect minerals. They are paid by making a small margin in the transaction. Similarly, artisanal miners are pre-financed in the period before that the mining site produces minerals. Pre-financers can be important business men or processing houses.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

FURTHER READING<\/span><\/h2>\n

COVID-19 Pandemic Drives Illegal Diamond Trade<\/a> <\/span>|<\/span> 29 June 2020 <\/span>| 263Chat<\/span>
\nZimbabwe is among seven countries negatively impacted by stoppage of diamond sales due to the novel Coronavirus leading to an increases in illicit flows and rampant smuggling of the precious gems, a study has shown. Findings of the new study conducted by the Kimberly Process Civil Society Coalition (KPCSC), indicates that the diamond sector has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, disrupting activities across the supply chain.<\/span>
\nEpidemics, Conflict, and Gold: What We Can Learn From DRC\u2019s Ebola Outbreak As We Respond to COVID-19<\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 22 May 2020 <\/span>| IMPACT<\/span>
\nThe COVID-19 pandemic is spotlighting the vulnerability of the world\u2019s poorest during a time of crisis. This is especially evident in artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) communities, a poverty-driven sector upon which an estimated 150 million people are dependent on worldwide.<\/span>
\nPolicy Brief: Impact of COVID-19 in Africa<\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 20 May 2020 <\/span>|<\/span> UN Sustainable Development Group<\/span>
\nIt is too early to know the full impact of COVID-19 on Africa. To date the experience has been varied. There are causes for concern, but also reasons for hope. Early estimates were pessimistic regarding the pandemic\u2019s impact on the continent. But the relatively low numbers of COVID-19 cases reported thus far have raised hopes that African countries may be spared the worst of the pandemic.<\/span>
\n‘Promiscuous treatment of nature’ will lead to more pandemics \u2013 scientists<\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 7 May 2020 <\/span>|<\/span> The Guardian<\/span>
\nHumanity\u2019s \u201cpromiscuous treatment of nature\u201d needs to change or there will be more deadly pandemics such as Covid-19, warn scientists who have analysed the link between viruses, wildlife and habitat destruction.<\/span>
\nTanzania\u2019s gamble: Anatomy of a totally novel coronavirus response<\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 7 May 2020 <\/span>|<\/span> African Arguments<\/span>
\nIn contrast to most leaders, Magufuli\u2019s main strategies are to limit information, treat fear as the main threat, and keep the economy running.<\/span>
\nCOVID-19: In northern Nigeria, states scapegoat the usual suspects<\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 7 May 2020 <\/span>|<\/span> African Arguments<\/span>
\nIn their response to the pandemic, state governments have singled out Qur\u2019anic schools not for epidemiological but political reasons.<\/span>
\nInternational human rights law and the COVID-19 response<\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 22 April 2020 <\/span>|<\/span> Corrs Chambers Westgarth<\/span>
\nHuman rights organisations are calling on governments to ensure adequate human rights protections are in place in light of COVID-19 developments and demands. But what are the responsibilities of business to respect human rights in a time of crisis? <\/span>
\nSix Reasons Why Covid-19 Response Planning Should Prioritise ASM Communities<\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 21 April 2020 <\/span>|<\/span> Levin Sources<\/span>
\nAs the world\u2019s priorities are reshaped by the COVID-19 crisis, Artisanal and Small-scale Mining (ASM) communities should not be overlooked. Here are 6 reasons why.<\/span>
\nCoronavirus Updates: Impact on the Diamond Trade<\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 19 April 2020 <\/span>|<\/span> Rapaport<\/span>
\nThe COVID-19 pandemic that has swept the globe has had a notable impact on the diamond industry, with new developments unfolding every day. Here, we present a one-stop, running news feed on industry events impacted by the virus.<\/span>
\nHow are mining companies helping tackle coronavirus?<\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 8 April 2020 <\/span>|<\/span> Mining Technology<\/span>
\nIt\u2019s been four weeks since the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO). To date, the virus has been detected in 209 countries and territories worldwide, with the total number of confirmed cases approaching 1.5 million at the time of writing.<\/span>
\nHow is COVID-19 Impacting the Mining Sector?<\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 7 April 2020 <\/span>| IT News Africa<\/span>
\nGlobal restrictions to encourage social distancing have meant that mining projects have either slowed or been put on hold until further notice. There is no doubt that mining executives are beginning to feel nervous as the spread of the virus accelerates.<\/span>
\nAs COVID-19 spreads, commodity markets rumble<\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 6 April 2020 <\/span>|<\/span> Mongabay<\/span>
\nThe images are stark. Smogless skies over Los Angeles. A drop in air pollution over northern Italy that\u2019s so sharp it can be seen from space. Emissions from vehicles in New York City are down nearly 50%. For a battered planet, the international coronavirus pandemic has so far been \u2014 at least temporarily \u2014 an eerie reprieve.<\/span>
\nUganda LGBT Shelter Residents Arrested on COVID-19 Pretext<\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 3 April 2020 <\/span>| HRW<\/span>
\nLiving in a shelter for homeless people shouldn\u2019t be illegal. But according to Ugandan police, 23 people living at a shelter serving lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Kampala are guilty of \u201ca negligent act likely to spread infection of disease,\u201d as well as \u201cdisobedience of lawful orders.\u201d<\/span>
\nAfrica’s Conflict-Ridden Regions Face Another Existential Threat in \u202fCOVID-19<\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 3 April 2020 <\/span>| Voice of America<\/span>
\nIn the West African country of Burkina Faso, rising insecurity has shuttered dozens of health clinics and left just three capable of carrying out coronavirus testing. In nearby Chad, a COVID-19-triggered drop in crude prices could translate into problems paying the Sahel region\u2019s most powerful army fighting an Islamist insurgency. <\/span>
\nGold has a role to play in Covid-19 testing toolbox<\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 3 April 2020 <\/span>|<\/span> Mining Weekly<\/span>
\nGold is being used in new Covid-19 rapid tests around the world, which identify the presence of biomarkers from the body\u2019s immune response to Covid-19 instead of looking for the virus itself.<\/span>
\nASM, Responsible Sourcing and covid-19: an Initial Analysis<\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 2 April 2020 <\/span>|<\/span> Levin Sources<\/span>
\nOn 7th January officials in China announced that a new virus \u2013 COVID-19 – had been identified. Since then the world has changed more than we could have dared to imagine \u2013 and the changes continue to outpace our comprehension of and response to this new shared reality. Whilst more developed countries have so far witnessed the fastest spread and highest mortality, an intensification of the crisis in less developed countries appears to be unavoidable. Most countries are therefore putting in place measures to \u201cflatten the curve\u201d \u2013 ranging from moderate restrictions on movement to full lockdowns.<\/span><\/p>\n

IN THE NEWS<\/span><\/h1>\n

BUSINESS & HUMAN RIGHTS<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

Swiss probe Glencore over DRC graft<\/a> <\/span>| 4 July 2020 | The Southern Times<\/span>
\nSwitzerland\u2019s Attorney General\u2019s Office (OAG) has opened a criminal probe into commodity miner and trader Glencore over allegations it failed to have measures in place to prevent corruption in the Democratic Republic of Congo.<\/span>
\nSanctioned Billionaire Finds a Haven in Tiny Congolese Bank<\/a> <\/span>| 2 July 2020 | Bloomberg<\/span>
\nA year ago in June, a group of bankers marched into a U.S. Treasury office in Washington on perhaps the most important mission of their careers: to save a country from financial collapse. Among them was Willy Mulamba, Citigroup Inc.\u2019s top executive in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a resource-rich but devastatingly poor nation in central Africa.<\/span>
\nCongo Files: Cash Was Deposited Into Dan Gertler’s Accounts, Then Millions Were Transferred to Top Israeli Figures<\/a> <\/span>| 2 July 2020 | Haaretz<\/span>
\nIn January 2018 the streets of Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, were awash with the blood of violent disturbances. The United Nations reported six fatalities in a string of clashes between the security forces and young residents of the city. The protesters\u2019 ire was aroused by the refusal of the then-president, Joseph Kabila, to hold an election, even though his term of office had expired almost two years earlier. <\/span>
\nNigerians Bid to Sue Shell in U.K. Over Oil-Spill Pollution<\/span><\/a> | 23 June 2020 | Bloomberg<\/span>
\nThousands of Nigerians are asking British judges to give them permission to sue Royal Dutch Shell Plc in London over environmental damage caused by oil spills 3,000 miles away in Africa. Lawyers for residents of the crude-rich Niger Delta believe a landmark U.K. Supreme Court ruling last year against a London-based miner should set a precedent. Shell, which has blocked the suit twice from entering British courts, says the litigation should be heard in the West African country.<\/span>
\nAustralia: Modern Slavery Act: An unexpected opportunity for corporate peacebuilding<\/span><\/a> | 16 June 2020 | Corrs Chambers Westgarth | Mondaq<\/span>
\nIn recent months, many of Australia’s largest companies have been assessing their supply chains for risks or instances of modern slavery. Their findings are due to be publicly released later this year in the first round of Australian ‘Modern Slavery Statements’ mandated by the Modern Slavery Act 2018 (Cth) (MS Act).<\/span>
\nLettre ouverte aux soci\u00e9t\u00e9s mini\u00e8res industrielles op\u00e9rant au Lualaba\/Haut Katanga<\/a> <\/span>| 11 June 2020 | HRW<\/span>
\nHuman rights groups concerned about DRC miners’ confinement at sites<\/a> <\/span>| 11 June 2020 | Mining Weekly<\/span>
\nMultinational copper and cobalt mining companies in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) should take immediate steps to protect the rights of thousands of Congolese workers\u2019 during the Covid-19 pandemic, a group of 11 international and Congolese human rights groups have said.<\/span>
\nHow can national human rights institutions improve access to remedy for rights abuses?<\/a> <\/span>| 10 June 2020 | Open Global Rights<\/span>
\nNew data from Africa provides insights into the role of national human rights institutions in access to remedy for business-related human rights abuses.<\/span>
\nMitigating the Risks of Gender-Based Violence: A Due Diligence Guide for Investing<\/a> <\/span>| 10 June 2020 | UNICEF<\/span>
\nThis tool equips investors to understand the risk their investments are exposed to as a result of gender-based violence and to incorporate that risk assessment into due diligence process.<\/span>
\nBHP targets responsible suppliers for supply chain program<\/a> <\/span>| 9 June 2020 | Australian Mining<\/span>
\nBHP has reiterated its commitment to socially responsible partnerships in the area of human rights with the launch of the BHP Ethical Supply Chain program.<\/span>
\nUK Companies Responsible For Business And Human Rights Violations Overseas<\/a> <\/span>| 8 June 2020 | Morrison & Foerster LLP | JDSupra<\/span>
\nEnglish courts have been busy passing judgment on UK companies that have allegedly violated business and human rights (BHR) obligations overseas. UK businesses (or large corporations with a presence in the UK) with operations in other jurisdictions should see this as a significant risk and consider whether now is a good time to review their international BHR implementation. In addition to any reputational harm, defending allegations of overseas BHR violations can be costly: some ongoing cases refer to claims worth billions of pounds in damages, in addition to all further costs associated with defending legal claims that can linger for a number of years.<\/span>
\nSwiss to vote on companies’ global liability for rights abuses<\/span><\/a> | 4 June 2020 | Reuters<\/span>
\nSwiss voters look set to get the final say on whether Swiss-based companies should be liable for human rights abuses and environmental violations in operations even outside Switzerland.<\/span>
\nNew Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Certificate Launched for the Financial Sector<\/a> <\/span>| 3 June 2020 | Business Wire<\/span>
\nThe Liechtenstein Initiative for Finance Against Slavery and Trafficking (FAST Initiative), a project based at the United Nations University Centre for Policy Research, and the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS), a leading international membership organization of financial crime prevention professionals, have launched a new modern day slavery and human trafficking certificate for financial sector actors.<\/span>
\nTrump Administration Reverses Position on Corporate Liability Under Alien Tort Statute<\/span><\/a> | 1 June 2020 | Just Security<\/span>
\nIn a brief filed last week, the Trump administration reversed its position on corporate liability under the Alien Tort Statute (ATS), urging the Supreme Court to grant certiorari in Cargill, Inc. v. Doe I and to hold that domestic corporations are not subject to suit for human rights violations under the ATS. The brief further urged the Court to reject the possibility of aiding-and-abetting liability under the ATS or, in the alternative, to hold that aiding-and-abetting liability is not available when the principal offense occurs outside the United States. <\/span>
\nHuman Rights and Environment: EU to Propose Legislation Requiring Due Diligence Through Supply Chains<\/span><\/a> | 28 May 2020 | Sidley Austin LLP | Lexology<\/span>
\nOn 29 april 2020, European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders announced that the European Commission (Commission) is preparing a proposal for legislation requiring that EU companies conduct due diligence on respect for human rights and environmental rules through their supply chains. The announcement follows the publication of a 500-page Commission study on due diligence requirements through EU companies\u2019 supply chains.<\/span>
\nA dream deferred: Ethical gold in North America<\/a> <\/span>| 28 May 2020 | JewelleryBusiness<\/span>
\nBeneath the green skin of Tanzanian farmland, two men dig for gold. I can hear their picks strike the hard earth 20 yards down a six-by-six foot, log-reinforced vertical tunnel. I had travelled forty hours from my Santa Fe, N.M., home to visit a gold mine, which was attempting to achieve certification from Fairtrade International. Even reaching proximity to these strict international protocols was an achievement\u2014not only is the required documentation extensive, but the foundation\u2019s on-the-ground standards would mean big changes for the small-scale miners.<\/span>
\nEU Mandatory Human Rights Due Diligence Legislation To Be Proposed In Early 2021<\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 28 May 2020 <\/span>| Ropes & Gray LLP | Mondaq<\/span>
\nAt the end of April, EU Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders announced that the European Commission will introduce mandatory human rights due diligence legislation in the first quarter of 2021. The legislation will be part of the EU’s COVID-19 recovery package and the European Green Deal.<\/span>
\nSmuggling of Libyan gasoil : criminal complaint filed against Swiss trader<\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 23 May 2020 <\/span>| Trial International<\/span>
\nOn 21 May 2020, TRIAL International filed a criminal complaint (\u201cd\u00e9nonciation p\u00e9nale\u201d) for complicity in pillage against Kolmar Group AG before the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) of Switzerland. According to a joint report published by TRIAL International and Public Eye on 2 March 2020, the Zug-based trading company had purchased smuggled gasoil from Libya. Having analysed the evidence gathered during the investigation, TRIAL International concludes that the Swiss trader may have been complicit in the war crime of pillage. It is now up to the Swiss prosecuting authorities to shed light on the Zugese trader\u2019s actions.<\/span>
\nClean gold: How Switzerland could set new supply chain standards<\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 17 May 2020 <\/span>| Swissinfo<\/span>
\nSwitzerland is the undisputed top dog of the global gold industry, refining a majority of the world\u2019s gold, as well as being the leading exporter. But how seriously does the country take its responsibility to ensure sustainable mining and the protection of human rights? <\/span>
\nEritrean activists sue EU for funding roads built with ‘forced labour’<\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 13 May 2020 <\/span>| Reuters<\/span>
\nEritrean activists sued the European Union (EU) on Wednesday and asked it to halt 80 million euros in aid to the east African nation, saying the money funded a scheme built on forced labour.<\/span>
\nCongo Prosecutor Accuses President\u2019s Aide of $52 Million Theft<\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 12 May 2020 <\/span>| Bloomberg<\/span>
\nA Democratic Republic of Congo prosecutor accused President Felix Tshisekedi\u2019s chief of staff of embezzling more than $52 million in one of the nation\u2019s highest-profile corruption trials.<\/span>
\nGuilty verdict for Soro puts Ivory Coast on political alert \u2013 and the ICC back in play<\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 11 May 2020 <\/span>| The Conversation<\/span>
\nA political earthquake is rumbling through Ivory Coast. On April 28, an Ivorian court found Guillaume Soro, a hopeful in the October presidential election, guilty of embezzlement and money laundering. The 48-year-old former rebel commander-in-chief was sentenced to 20 years in jail. <\/span>
\nSmuggling Libyan gasoil: a Swiss trader navigates through troubled waters<\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> (update) | 8 May 2020 | TRIAL International<\/span>
\nTorn apart and bled dry since the fall of Colonel Gaddafi, Libya is a paradise for smugglers. TRIAL International and Public Eye uncovered business transactions in 2014 and 2015 between the Swiss trader Kolmar Group AG and a network of Libyan gasoil smugglers whose leaders are facing trial in Sicily.<\/span>
\nEuropean Commission steps up fight against money laundering and terrorist financing \u2013 Q&A<\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 7 May 2020 <\/span>| European Commission<\/span>
\nThe European Commission has today put forward a series of measures designed to further strengthen the EU’s framework to fight against money laundering and terrorist financing.<\/span><\/p>\n

NATURAL RESOURCES<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

Mineral Concessions: Avoiding Conflict in DR Congo\u2019s Mining Heartland<\/a> |<\/span> 30 June 2020 <\/span>|<\/span> International Crisis Group<\/span>
\nCopper and cobalt are the Democratic Republic of Congo\u2019s two biggest exports. Artisanal miners often dig for these riches on lands licensed to large companies, sometimes prompting violent state intervention. The government should instead foster better ways for citizens to share in the mineral wealth.<\/span>
\nForget Diamonds, The New Conflict Commodity Is Gold<\/a> |<\/span> 16 June 2020 <\/span>|<\/span> Forbes<\/span>
\nIf Leonardo DiCaprio is available, he would be perfect for a starring role in a sequel to his 2006 Oscar-nominated performance in Blood Diamond with a near-record price triggering multiple conflicts in another precious commodity, gold.<\/span>
\nHow illegal mining is driving local conflicts in Nigeria<\/a> |<\/span> 16 June 2020 <\/span>|<\/span> ISS<\/span>
\nAfrica\u2019s artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector has development potential. At their peak in 2017 these mines in Niger employed as many as 600 000 people and created opportunities for local infrastructural development. But these prospects are undermined by criminals who profiteer from the sector at the expense of vulnerable populations.<\/span>
\nUN Experts Show Gold Smuggling Networks From Congo to Dubai<\/a> |<\/span> 12 June 2020 <\/span>|<\/span> Bloomberg<\/span>
\nGold smuggling from eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is costing the impoverished country millions of dollars in tax revenue and funding conflict and criminal networks that stretch across Africa and beyond, according to a United Nations Group of Experts report.<\/span>
\nZambia tackles \u2018deliberate\u2019 undervaluation of mineral exports<\/a> |<\/span> 11 June 2020 <\/span>|<\/span> CGTN<\/span>
\nZambia on Wednesday said mines ministry officials will, starting next month, personally collect samples from mine sites around the country to prevent mining companies seeking to undervalue their production to pay less taxes.<\/span>
\nZambia tackles ‘deliberate’ undervaluation of mineral exports<\/a> | 10 June 2020 | Reuters<\/span>
\nZambia on Wednesday said mines ministry officials will, starting next month, personally collect samples from mine sites around the country to prevent mining companies seeking to undervalue their production to pay less taxes.<\/span>
\nA Correspondent Looks Back at 40 Years on the Continent<\/a> |<\/span> 10 June 2020 <\/span>|<\/span> Der Spiegel<\/span>
\nIn four decades as a correspondent in Africa, I have driven and flown some 2 million kilometers throughout the continent. A lot has changed since I first arrived, but much has stayed the same. My departure is bittersweet.<\/span>
\nIs Ghana Serious About Its Natural Resource Exploitation For Its Development Agenda?<\/a> |<\/span> 6 June 2020 <\/span>|<\/span> Modern Ghana<\/span>
\nFor many years now, many of us have been concerned about the predation, plunder, pillage, the open thievery, looting and exploitation of our natural resources by foreigners not only in \u201cgalamsey\u201d and rosewood but also in the new oil and gas sector, all in the name of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).<\/span>
\n60% of Global Cobalt Supply at Risk as DRC Crackdown Intensifies<\/a> <\/span>|<\/span> 3 June 2020 <\/span>|<\/span> GlobeNewswire<\/span>
\nBolt Metals Corp. an Indonesia-based company focused on developing battery mineral projects in the Asia\u2010Pacific region, noted the Financial Times reported that Huayou Cobalt (\u201cHuayou\u201d), \u201cChina\u2019s top cobalt producer halts buying from Congo miners.\u201d It\u2019s widely reported that the Democratic Republic of Congo (the \u201cDRC\u201d) represents 60% of global cobalt production.<\/span>
\nTrafigura investigated for alleged corruption, market manipulation<\/a> <\/span>|<\/span> 31 May 2020 <\/span>|<\/span> The Guardian<\/span>
\nGlobal commodities trader Trafigura is under investigation by US authorities for alleged corruption and market manipulation relating to oil trading, the Guardian has learned.<\/span>
\nCongo suspends board and management of state diamond miner MIBA<\/a> |<\/span> 30 May 2020 <\/span>|<\/span> Reuters<\/span>
\nThe Democratic Republic of Congo has suspended the board of directors and management of state-controlled diamond mining company MIBA, after an audit revealed significant irregularities, the government said in a statement.
\nMining billionaire gets help from ex-spies in bitter legal fight<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 25 May 2020 | Mining Weekly<\/span>
\nBlack Cube, the private intelligence agency run by former Israeli spies, spent months setting up companies around the world. Offices, websites and employees were painstakingly put in place — all part of a sting targeting former executives at Brazilian mining giant Vale.<\/span>
\nMeet the struggling gold miners who are missing out on boom in the precious metal<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 21 May 2020 | The Conversation<\/span>
\nIn Mukungwe, Democratic Republic of Congo, thousands of young men and women live in makeshift huts. They have no access to sanitation or health facilities. They work as manual drillers, carriers or timber specialists in narrow underground tunnels, which exposes them to everything from toxic metals to cave-ins and even suffocation.<\/span>
\nLes richesses consid\u00e9rables du Sahara Occidental n\u2019ont pas fini d\u2019aiguiser les app\u00e9tits de l\u2019Europe<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 21 May 2020 | Alg\u00e9rie Press Service<\/span>
\nLes richesses consid\u00e9rables du Sahara Occidental “n\u2019ont pas fini d\u2019aiguiser les app\u00e9tits” de l\u2019Europe qui ne joue pas compl\u00e8tement la carte de la transparence et du droit international, a affirm\u00e9 l’\u00e9conomiste belge, Xavier Dupret, relevant que l’action du Front Polisario met de plus en plus \u00e0 mal l\u2019unilat\u00e9ralisme franco-marocain dans la r\u00e9gion.<\/span>
\nCobalt Is Critical to the Renewable Energy Transition. How Can We Minimize Its Social and Environmental Cost?<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 14 May 2020 |<\/span> Ensia
\nIts name conjures an image of vivid deep blues. But when cobalt is dug out of the ground in ore form, there\u2019s barely a hint of the rich hue it lends its name to. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which produces more than half of the world\u2019s supply, it takes the form of heterogenite, a dull brownish mineral that could easily be mistaken for small clods of dirt.
\nZambia, in diversification push, starts processing artisanal gold<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 13 May 2020 |<\/span> Reuters
\nZambia has built 10 milling plants to process gold in a drive to formalise artisanal and small-scale miners and diversify from copper mining, state mining investment company ZCCM-IH said on Wednesday.
\nHow illegal mining is sabotaging the Nigerian economy<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 13 May 2020 |<\/span> The Cable
\nThe Honourable Minster of Mines and Steel Development, Arc Olamilekan Adegbite, blew the whistle on some \u201cpowerful and influential\u201d Nigerians recently during a media briefing in Abuja. What was the story? According to Arc Adegbite, these economic saboteurs \u2013 that\u2019s what they are \u2013 have been putting pressure on the federal government to free Chinese nationals arrested for illegal mining in the country. In other words, these men of means and privileged access to power are trying to give the Honourable Minister a hard time simply because he\u2019s doing his job.
\nNo, cobalt is not a conflict mineral<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span>\u00a0|<\/span> 5 May 2020 |<\/span> African Arguments
\nGlobal demand for cobalt is estimated to more than quadruple in the next ten years. Mislabelling it particular hurts vulnerable Congolese miners.
\nPotentiel minier inexploit\u00e9 ou sous-exploit\u00e9 (4e partie) : le cas du S\u00e9n\u00e9gal<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 5 May 2020 |<\/span> Agence Ecofin
\nZoom sur le S\u00e9n\u00e9gal, un pays avec une longue tradition d\u2019exploitation mini\u00e8re, mais o\u00f9 des efforts sont encore n\u00e9cessaires afin de faire du secteur un v\u00e9ritable levier de d\u00e9veloppement.
\nSmall miners\u2019 love for cheap gold, keeps mercury flowing<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 30 April 2020 |<\/span> The East African
\nOpening the black box: Local insights into the formal and informal global mercury trade revealed<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> (pdf) |<\/span> April 2020 |<\/span>IUCN
\nThe artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector is the force behind trade in mercury even as experts warn of the heavy metal\u2019s risks to not just health but also the environment.
\nDRC\u2019s Virunga: Park, gorillas and rangers all under attack<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 29 April 2020 |<\/span> San Francisco Bay View
\nHow can anyone not love gorillas? They look like the world\u2019s meanest mofos but in fact they\u2019re family-oriented vegetarians who love to play and swing from trees when they\u2019re not munching on stems, bamboo shoots and fruits, or maybe ants and termites or their larvae.
\nPotentiel minier sous-exploit\u00e9 (3e partie) : le cas du Cameroun<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 28 April 2020 |<\/span> Agence Ecofin
\nCe troisi\u00e8me \u00e9pisode de la s\u00e9rie s\u2019int\u00e9resse au Cameroun, un pays o\u00f9 l\u2019Etat n\u2019arrive pas encore \u00e0 v\u00e9ritablement maitriser un secteur au potentiel immense, mais englu\u00e9 en grande partie dans l\u2019informel et la clandestinit\u00e9.<\/p>\n

ARMS TRADE<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

Making a killing: Israeli mercenaries in Cameroon<\/a> <\/span>| 23 June 2020 | African Arguments<\/span>
\nIn November 2018, Eran Moas basked under the Caribbean sun by an infinity pool stretching towards the horizon. The Israeli citizen was taking a much-needed break by holidaying in the Bahamas with his wife and children. Moas enjoys this lifestyle thanks to his long-standing job with the Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR), an elite unit of the Cameroonian army, as well as business ventures with the Cameroonian government. <\/span>
\nBreaking Terrorism Supply Chains in West Africa<\/span><\/a> | 8 June 2020 | ISS | AllAfrica<\/span>
\nLast month Burkina Faso and C\u00f4te d’Ivoire jointly conducted Operation Como\u00e9 along their borders. They captured 38 suspected terrorists, killed eight, and dismantled training camps. The operation reflects growing concern in these and other West African coastal states about a spillover of violent extremism and the need to prevent attacks from being staged in their territories.<\/span>
\nNiger lost $120 million in arms deals over three years: government audit<\/a> | 27 May 2020 | Reuters<\/span>
\nAlmost 40% of the $312 million Niger spent on defence procurement contracts over the last three years was lost through inflated costs or materiel that was not delivered, according to a government audit of military contracts seen by Reuters.<\/span>
\nVentes d’armes fran\u00e7aises : ce que l’on veut nous cacher<\/a> (pdf<\/a>) | 27 May 2020 | Amnesty International France<\/span>
\n\u00c0 l\u2019heure o\u00f9 la France doit remettre son rapport annuel sur ses exportations et importations d\u2019armes, nous faisons le point sur les omissions volontaires du gouvernement \u00e0 ce sujet. Le manque de transparence de la France sur ses ventes d\u2019armes fait l\u2019objet de pr\u00e9occupations r\u00e9currentes.<\/span>
\nTchad : les forces de l\u2019ordre et de s\u00e9curit\u00e9 arr\u00eatent des trafiquants d\u2019armes<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 26 May 2020 <\/span>|<\/span> Journal du Tchad<\/span>
\nC\u2019\u00e9tait au cours d\u2019une op\u00e9ration lanc\u00e9e par les forces de d\u00e9fense et de s\u00e9curit\u00e9 le 24 mai, 5 pr\u00e9sum\u00e9s malfrats ont \u00e9t\u00e9 appr\u00e9hend\u00e9s dans le Logone oriental, ils d\u00e9tenaient des armes de pointe et de munitions.<\/span>
\nLifting the arms embargo on South Sudan would be a disgrace<\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 22 May 2020 <\/span>|<\/span> Mail & Guardian<\/span>
\nThe African Union (AU) under the chairmanship of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa \u2014 in this year in which it is calling for the \u2018silencing of the guns\u2019 \u2014 has an opportunity to show the world that it can take a stand against its member states which are violating the human rights of its citizens.<\/span>
\nSudan delivered weapons to South Sudanese security service: Un report<\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 19 May 2020 <\/span>|<\/span> Sudan Tribune<\/span>
\nSudan\u2019s intelligence and security services, in violation of the arms embargo on South Sudan, delivered weapons and ammunition to the National Security Service during the year 2019, said a UN panel.<\/span>
\nDubai-based firms sent mercenaries to Libya – UN report<\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 17 May 2020 <\/span>| TRT World<\/span>
\nA report by a UN Panel of Experts said the foreign mercenaries were affiliated with Lancaster 6 DMCC and Opus Capital Asset Limited FZE, both registered at free zones in the UAE, Bloomberg reported.<\/span>
\nIs Human Rights Training Working with Foreign Militaries? No One Knows and That Is OK.<\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 12 May 2020 <\/span>|<\/span> War on the Rocks<\/span>
\nTraining a foreign army is not like training your own military. This seems obvious, but the differences are often not accepted in practice. For example, there\u2019s time constraints. Donors want instantaneous improvements in combat lethality and compliance with international laws. The tactical, operational, and professional skills that take a soldier years to learn in a Western military are expected to be mastered by local forces in months. Then there is the scale of the challenge.<\/span>
\nTrafic d’armes entre la RDC et la Centrafrique: le profil de la femme interpell\u00e9e se pr\u00e9cise<\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 7 May 2020 <\/span>|<\/span> RFI<\/span>
\nEn RDC, l\u2019enqu\u00eate sur le trafic d\u2019armes et de munitions entre Kinshasa, le Nord-Ubangi et certaines r\u00e9gions du sud de la Centrafrique est en cours. Des interpellations ont \u00e9t\u00e9 men\u00e9es \u00e0 Kinshasa comme dans la ville de Gbadolite o\u00f9, il y a une semaine, des armes de guerre et des munitions ont \u00e9t\u00e9 saisies \u00e0 l\u2019a\u00e9roport en provenance de Kinshasa. Dans ce dossier, une femme d\u2019affaires a \u00e9t\u00e9 arr\u00eat\u00e9e \u00e0 l\u2019a\u00e9roport de Gbadolite. Apr\u00e8s un bref s\u00e9jour en d\u00e9tention, elle a \u00e9t\u00e9 transf\u00e9r\u00e9e \u00e0 Kinshasa. Elle est consid\u00e9r\u00e9e par les autorit\u00e9s provinciales comme le cerveau de ce trafic. <\/span>
\nEthiopia to Begin Registration of Privately-Held Firearms<\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 4 May 2020 <\/span>|<\/span> Ezega<\/span>
\nThe government of Ethiopia will begin registration of privately held guns shortly and institutions and individuals should get their small arms registered over the coming two years, the federal attorney general has said.<\/span>
\nSouth Sudan – Evidence of Violations and Illicit Concealment of Arms Must Spur UN to Renew Arms Embargo<\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span> 30 April 2020 <\/span>|<\/span> Amnesty International<\/span>
\nThe UN Security Council must renew and strengthen enforcement of the arms embargo on South Sudan, Amnesty International said today, exposing new evidence that multiple security forces are breaching it and concealing weapons amid a volatile security situation. Next month the Security Council is set to vote on a resolution that would renew the embargo, which currently expires on 31 May 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n

CONFLICT<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

Congo vows zero tolerance over child soldiers after U.S. anti-trafficking nod<\/a> <\/span><\/span>| 1 July 2020 | Reuters<\/span><\/span>
\nThe Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) must do more to end the use of child soldiers by the military and armed groups, its human rights minister said after the U.S. government commended the country’s progress on fighting human trafficking.<\/span><\/span>
\nChildren and Armed Conflict Monthly Update \u2013 July 2020<\/span><\/span><\/a> | 1 July 2020 | Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict<\/span><\/span>
\nThree parties to conflict are listed in the Secretary-General\u2019s (SG) 2020 annual report (S\/2020\/525) on children and armed conflict (CAC) for recruitment and use, killing and maiming, and rape and other forms of sexual violence. The Lord\u2019s Resistance Army is also listed for abduction, and the former S\u00e9l\u00e9ka coalition and associated groups are also listed for attacks on schools and hospitals. <\/span><\/span>
\nWhy the African Union has failed to \u2018silence the guns\u2019<\/span><\/span><\/a> | 30 June 2020 | The Conversation<\/span><\/span>
\nSeven years ago African leaders committed themselves to working towards an end to armed conflict. As they marked the 50th anniversary of the founding of the African Union they swore to ensure lasting peace on the continent. They pledged not to bequeath the burden of conflicts to the next generation of Africans.<\/span><\/span>
\nUNHCR appalled at rising violence against displaced in eastern DRC<\/a> <\/span><\/span>| 30 June 2020 | UNHCR<\/span><\/span>
\nUNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is alarmed at the increasing number of violent attacks on displaced civilians by armed groups in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). We are calling on the authorities to strengthen the presence of police, military forces with support of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) to improve the security situation and hold the perpetrators accountable.<\/span><\/span>
\nBeyond ending conflict in Africa, we must tackle its root causes<\/span><\/span><\/a> | 25 June 2020 | Africa Renewal | UN<\/span><\/span>
\nHanna Tetteh is the United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the African Union. As head of the UN Office to the African Union (UNOAU), Ms. Tetteh spoke with Africa Renewal\u2019s Kingsley Ighobor on, among other issues, the current state of the UN-AU partnership and how women and young people can help resolve conflict. These are excerpts from the interview.<\/span><\/span>
\nSahel : deux guerres qui n\u2019en font qu\u2019une<\/span><\/span><\/a> | 17 June 2020 | Actu Cameroun<\/span><\/span>
\nL\u2019une, men\u00e9e par la France et ses alli\u00e9s, et l\u2019autre, faite par les arm\u00e9es du Mali, du Burkina Faso et du Niger, ne sont que les deux faces d\u2019un m\u00eame conflit.<\/span><\/span>
\nViolence en Ituri, une crise oubli\u00e9e<\/span><\/span><\/a> | 11 June 2020 | MSF | Le Courier<\/span><\/span>
\nAu cours des deux derniers mois, la recrudescence de la violence dans la province de l\u2019Ituri, dans le nord-est de la RDC, a entra\u00een\u00e9 une nouvelle vague de d\u00e9placements forc\u00e9s. 1,2 million de personnes vivent actuellement dans des camps ou des abris de fortune. Alex Wade, de M\u00e9decins sans fronti\u00e8res, t\u00e9moigne de leurs d\u00e9sastreuses conditions de vie.<\/span><\/span>
\nSahel : les civils, premi\u00e8res victimes collat\u00e9rales<\/span><\/span><\/a> | 11 June 2020 | Le Point<\/span><\/span>
\nLes soldats du Mali, du Burkina Faso et du Niger sont accus\u00e9s d’exactions sur les populations. Apr\u00e8s l’ONU, Amnesty International tire la sonnette d’alarme.<\/span><\/span>
\nAfrica is home to nine of ten of the world\u2019s most neglected crises<\/a> | 10 June 2020 | NRC | ReliefWeb<\/span><\/span>
\nCameroon, DR Congo and Burkina Faso are the most neglected displacement crises in the world, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council\u2019s annual list launched today.<\/span><\/span>
\nThirty-First Report of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to the United Nations Security Council pursuant to UNSCR 1593 (2005)<\/span><\/span><\/a> | 10 June 2020 | ICC | ReliefWeb<\/span><\/span>
\nDespite the global disruption caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Republic of the Sudan (\u201cSudan\u201d) continues to make progress in ongoing discussions regarding justice for the victims of the Darfur conflict. In particular, accountability for crimes in Darfur remains a central issue in the peace negotiations between the Government of Sudan and rebel groups in Juba, South Sudan.<\/span><\/span>
\nChild Soldiers Are Helping End a Forever War<\/span><\/span><\/a> | 10 June 2020 | Foreign Policy<\/span><\/span>
\nGone are the black-magic amulets that promised invincibility in the heat of battle. So too are the machetes and homemade rifles, once used to hunt civilians like game. Khaki berets and menacing face scarves have been swapped for rainboots and high-visibility jackets. An unlikely crew of maintenance workers, made up of former child soldiers and other vulnerable youngsters in the Central African Republic (CAR), was hard at work in June 2019. Deployed to an impoverished suburb of the capital, Bangui, they were digging a well for a community otherwise cut off from water supplies.<\/span><\/span>
\nNew UN report highlights link between gender, climate and security<\/a> | 9 June 2020 | UN News<\/span><\/span>
\nEven as countries buckle under the devastating social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, they must consider the links between gender inequality and crisis, particularly in communities affected by climate change and conflict. That\u2019s the premise of a new UN report which argues that understanding these connections can help policymakers and donors to mitigate risks of violence and support the building of resilient, inclusive and peaceful societies.<\/span><\/span>
\nDarfur war crimes suspect Ali Kushayb \u2018detained in CAR\u2019<\/span><\/span><\/a> | 9 June 2020 | Dabanga<\/span><\/span>
\nFormer Darfur janjaweed leader Ali Kushayb, who has been indicted for crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court (ICC), was arrested in the Central African Republic (CAR) on Monday, Radio Dabanga has been informed by reliable sources.<\/span><\/span>
\nRebel group suspends participation in Central Africa peace pact<\/span><\/span><\/a> | 6 June 2020 | News24<\/span><\/span>
\nA key militia in the Central African Republic has said it is suspending its participation in a peace agreement signed by the government and rebel groups last year that has led to relative calm in the war-torn country.<\/span><\/span>
\nLibya: shocking new evidence of retaliatory attacks on civilians<\/a> | 5 June 2020 | Amnesty International<\/span><\/span>
\nNew evidence obtained by Amnesty International indicates that war crimes and other violations may have been committed between 13 April and 1 June by warring parties in Libya during the latest surge in fighting near Tripoli.<\/span><\/span>
\nEscalating conflict is fueling a humanitarian crisis in eastern Burkina Faso<\/a> | 5 June 2020 | M\u00e9decins Sans Fronti\u00e8res<\/span><\/span>
\nWhile COVID-19 makes headlines around the world, less visible humanitarian crises continue to escalate. In the villages of Burkina Faso\u2019s eastern region, killings, abductions, and looting are now a regular occurrence. This is one of the areas most affected by the conflict between Burkino Faso\u2019s national security forces and various armed groups, which has seen large numbers of people displaced from their homes. <\/span><\/span>
\nSouth Sudan denies allowing Egypt military base near Ethiopia<\/a> | 5 June 2020 | Middle East Monitor<\/span><\/span>
\nSouth Sudan\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation issued a statement resolving the controversy over its approval of Cairo\u2019s request to establish a military base near the Ethiopian border.<\/span><\/span>
\nCour p\u00e9nale sp\u00e9ciale de Centrafrique: Amnesty plaide pour plus \u201cd\u2019efforts\u201d<\/a> | 3 June 2020 | APA News<\/span><\/span>
\nL\u2019ONG des droits humains Amnesty International a appel\u00e9 \u00e0 \u00ab redoubler d\u2019efforts \u00bb pour rendre pleinement op\u00e9rationnelle la Cour p\u00e9nale sp\u00e9ciale de la R\u00e9publique centrafricaine, qui c\u00e9l\u00e8bre cette ann\u00e9e son cinqui\u00e8me anniversaire.<\/span><\/span>
\nBurundi: Intimidation, Arrests During Elections<\/a> | 1 June 2020 | HRW<\/span><\/span>
\nSerious allegations of abuse during Burundi\u2019s 20 mei 2020 elections should be investigated and those responsible held accountable.<\/span><\/span>
\nDR Congo arrests key suspect in UN experts’ murders <\/a>| 1 June 2020 | RFI<\/span><\/span>
\nDemocratic Republic of Congo officials say they have arrested militia leader Tresor Mputu Kankonde, one of the top suspects in the 2017 murders of two United Nations experts.<\/span><\/span>
\nWhy recognizing different ethnic groups is good for peace<\/a> | 31 May 2020 | Oxford University Press Blog<\/span><\/span>
\nIn a time of global crisis that has reproduced many inequalities and reinforced mistrust across lines of identity in diverse societies, one may easily succumb to a sense that meaningful redress and social cohesion are impossible. But, learning from contexts of large scale violence and civil war, there\u2019s reason to believe that \u201crecognition\u201d based strategies can help diverse societies overcome the legacies of their painful histories.<\/span><\/span>
\nCongo militia leader arrested in 2017 murders of UN experts<\/a> | 30 May 2020 | Associated Press | Republican Herald<\/span><\/span>
\nA Congolese militia leader accused of involvement in the murder of an American citizen and a Swedish national working with the United Nations has been arrested more than three years after their brutal slayings, a prosecutor said Saturday.<\/span><\/span>
\nRDC : nouvelle r\u00e9bellion en gestation au Sud-Kivu<\/a> | 29 May 2020 | Actualite.cd<\/span><\/span>
\nUn officier des Forces arm\u00e9es de la R\u00e9publique D\u00e9mocratique du Congo (FARDC) a alert\u00e9 ce jeudi 28 mai ACTUALITE.CD, au sujet de la naissance d’une nouvelle r\u00e9bellion \u00e0 Minembwe (Sud-Kivu), dans l’est du pays. L’Alliance du Congo pour la Paix (ACP), comme c’est d’elle qu’il s’agit est op\u00e9rationnelle, pour l’instant, dans le triangle Bijombo, Itombwe et Minembwe. <\/span><\/span>
\nPeace and security in the Central African Republic<\/a> | May 2020 | Conciliation Resources<\/span><\/span>
\nAfter several failed peace processes, a peace accord was signed in 2019 by the Central African Republic government and 14 armed groups. With the country now preparing for elections in December 2020, this research looks to understand the views of local communities in Bossangoa and the Western Border Zones, in order to inform effective, proactive policy during this crucial period and beyond.<\/span><\/span>
\nMaking a Killing: South Sudanese Military Leaders’ Wealth, Explained<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span> | May 2020 | The Sentry<\/span><\/span>
\nSouth Sudan\u2019s last four army chiefs of staff, four high-ranking military leaders, and three opposition militia leaders have engaged in business activities indicative of money laundering and corruption, The Sentry has found.<\/span><\/span>
\nLe BCNUDH s\u2019inqui\u00e8te de la multiplication des violences et des actes de barbarie dans les territoires de Djugu et Mahagi en Ituri<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span> | 27 May 2020 | Bureau conjoint des Nations Unies aux droits de l\u2019homme<\/span><\/span>
\nUN warns of possible war crimes in northeastern Congo<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span> | 27 May 2020 | Reuters<\/span><\/span>
\nAu moins 296 personnes ont \u00e9t\u00e9 tu\u00e9es, 151 autres bless\u00e9es et 38 personnes viol\u00e9es, dont de nombreux femmes et enfants, par les assaillants arm\u00e9s \u00e0 majorit\u00e9 lendu entre octobre 2019 et avril 2020, selon le Bureau conjoint des Nations Unies aux droits de l\u2019homme (BCNUDH), qui rel\u00e8ve une inqui\u00e9tante d\u00e9t\u00e9rioration de la situation dans les territoires de Djugu et Mahagi en Ituri.<\/span><\/span>
\nIturi : l\u2019arm\u00e9e intensifie les op\u00e9rations contre les miliciens de CODECO dans plusieurs villages au bord du lac Albert<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span> | 26 May 2020 | Actualite.cd<\/span><\/span>
\nLes forces arm\u00e9es de la R\u00e9publique d\u00e9mocratique du Congo (FARDC) affirment avoir intensifi\u00e9 les op\u00e9rations dans les villages longeant le lac Albert dans le territoire de Djugu.<\/span><\/span>
\nRejet du pourvoi en cassation de Fabien Neretse, condamn\u00e9 pour crime de g\u00e9nocide<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span> | 27 May 2020 | CCLJ<\/span><\/span>
\nLa Cour de cassation a rejet\u00e9, ce mercredi, le pourvoi introduit par l’ancien haut fonctionnaire rwandais Fabien Neretse contre l’arr\u00eat de la cour d’assises de Bruxelles qui l’a condamn\u00e9 pour des crimes commis durant le g\u00e9nocide au Rwanda en 1994.<\/span><\/span>
\nCivil unrest turns deadly in Guinea<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 22 May 2020 | Mail & Guardian<\/span><\/span>
\nMouctar Bah had just left the scene of the protests in Coyah, Guinea when he received a call telling him his brother had been shot. Bah told Al Jazeera that by the time he got to the hospital, his younger brother was dead.<\/span><\/span>
\nU.N. prosecutor: remains of Rwandan war crimes suspect found in Congo<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span><\/span> 22 May 2020 <\/span><\/span>| Reuters<\/span><\/span>
\nThe remains of a fugitive major suspect in Rwanda\u2019s 1994 genocide have been identified in a grave in the Republic of the Congo, a United Nations war crimes prosecutor said on Friday.<\/span><\/span>
\nCondamn\u00e9 par la CPI, Thomas Lubanga d\u00e9nonce \u00e0 son tour un g\u00e9nocide en Ituri<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span><\/span> 22 May 2020 <\/span><\/span>|<\/span><\/span> DW<\/span><\/span>
\nEn libert\u00e9 apr\u00e8s avoir purg\u00e9 la peine de 14 ans de prison \u00e0 laquelle il \u00e9tait condamn\u00e9 par la CPI, l’ex-chef de guerre Thomas Lubanga \u00e9voque cette condamnation et d\u00e9nonce \u00e0 son tour un “g\u00e9nocide” en cours en Ituri.<\/span><\/span>
\nArmed conflict displaces 660,000 since UN call for global ceasefire<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span><\/span> 22 May 2020 <\/span><\/span>|<\/span><\/span> Norwegian Refugee Council<\/span><\/span>
\nArmed conflict forced more than 660,000 people around the world to flee their homes between March 23 and May 15, leaving people more exposed to Covid-19, and is preventing global efforts to control the pandemic.<\/span><\/span>
\nThe Arrest of the Rwandan Genocide\u2019s Bankroller is a Warning to Others, including Western States<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span> |<\/span><\/span> 21 May 2020 <\/span><\/span>| Justice in Conflict<\/span><\/span>
\nTime has a funny way of catching up with people. Perhaps that thought crossed F\u00e9licien Kabuga\u2019s mind when police raided an apartment on the outskirts of Paris this past weekend and arrested him. Kabuga had been on the run for over twenty-five years when he was finally detained on several charges relating to his role in 1994 the Rwandan Genocide.<\/span><\/span>
\nTogo: aux avant-postes de la guerre contre les jihadistes<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span><\/span> 21 May 2020 <\/span><\/span>| TV5Monde<\/span><\/span>
\nTapis sous un arbre derri\u00e8re des sacs de riz, citadelle de fortune, une poign\u00e9e de soldats lourdement arm\u00e9s surveillent en silence les va-et-vient des villageois qui franchissent la fronti\u00e8re entre le Togo et le Burkina Faso \u00e0 pieds ou \u00e0 v\u00e9lo. Seule une rivi\u00e8re ass\u00e9ch\u00e9e s\u00e9pare les deux pays.<\/span><\/span>
\nSupport Islamists against \u2018state terrorism\u2019 in Mali, Nigeria, CAR, says ex-military advisor of Turkey\u2019s president<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span><\/span> 21 May 2020 <\/span><\/span>| Nordic Monitor<\/span><\/span>
\nTurkey should support Islamic groups against state terrorism in some critical regions of Africa such as the Central African Republic (CAR), Mali and Nigeria, said retired Gen. Adnan Tanr\u0131verdi, the former chief military aide to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo\u011fan who also owns private military contractor SADAT, which many believe is a de facto paramilitary force loyal to the Islamist president of Turkey.<\/span><\/span>
\nF\u00e9licien Kabuga: Rwanda genocide suspect arrested in France<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span><\/span> 16 May 2020 <\/span><\/span>|<\/span><\/span> BBC<\/span><\/span>
\nF\u00e9licien Kabuga, one of the most wanted suspects of the Rwandan genocide, has been arrested near Paris, the French justice ministry has announced. Mr Kabuga was detained in a dawn raid in Asni\u00e8res-sur-Seine, where he had been living under a false identity.<\/span><\/span>
\nSPLM-IG\u2019s intransigence on the allocation of the States<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span><\/span> 14 May 2020 <\/span><\/span>|<\/span><\/span> Sudan Tribune<\/span><\/span>
\nThe signing of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) in September 2018 was received with jubilation by the war-weary South Sudanese. They believed it was going to bring their suffering to an end. For five years they witnessed terrible horrors of war: killings, displacement, violence against women, destruction of property, violations of human rights and humanitarian law and plummeting economy. The country was on the edge of a cliff. <\/span><\/span>
\nRenegade Sudan army faction accused of killing RSF troops in clashes<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span><\/span> 14 May 2020 <\/span><\/span>| Middle East Eye<\/span><\/span>
\nNine members of Sudan\u2019s government-aligned Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been killed in clashes with a renegade faction of the army, an RSF spokesperson told Middle East Eye, as a fresh wave of ethnic violence erupted in the country\u2019s south.<\/span><\/span>
\nFor the Army, With the Army, Like the Army? The Rise of Guidon Shimiray and the NDC-R\u00e9nov\u00e9 in Eastern Congo<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span><\/span>13 May 2020 <\/span><\/span>| CIC<\/span><\/span>
\nFormerly a small local militia, Guidon Shimiray\u2019s Nduma Defence of Congo-R\u00e9nov\u00e9 (NDC-R) is today one of the most powerful armed groups in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). What role does it play in the dynamics of violence in this part of the country, where regional states\u2019 interests are intertwined with local conflicts?<\/span><\/span>
\nTchad : 27 mineurs ill\u00e9gaux d\u2019or tu\u00e9s par l\u2019arm\u00e9e<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span> |<\/span><\/span> 13 May 2020 <\/span><\/span>| Sahel Intelligence<\/span><\/span>
\nAu moins 27 mineurs ill\u00e9gaux ont \u00e9t\u00e9 tu\u00e9s par les forces de s\u00e9curit\u00e9 dans le nord-ouest du Tchad, \u00e0 la fronti\u00e8re avec la Libye, apr\u00e8s avoir \u00e9t\u00e9 confondus avec des jihadistes, ont confirm\u00e9 des sources s\u00e9curitaires.<\/span><\/span>
\nViolence in northern Nigeria drives 23,000 to Niger<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span> |<\/span><\/span> 12 May 2020 <\/span><\/span>| France24<\/span><\/span>
\nViolence in northwest Nigeria has forced about 23,000 refugees to flee to Niger since April and raised concerns about the deteriorating security situation, the United Nations refugee agency said on Tuesday.<\/span><\/span>
\nThe flawed logic behind French military interventions in Africa<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span> |<\/span><\/span> 12 May 2020 <\/span><\/span>| The Conversation<\/span><\/span>
\nTwo French soldiers have died during military operations in Mali taking part in Operation Barkhane in recent weeks. This follows the death of 13 soldiers in a helicopter crash in November 2019. With 5,100 troops concentrated principally in Mali, Niger and Chad, the main function of Operation Barkhane is to combat jihadist groups in the region. It represents France\u2019s largest overseas military operation in Africa since the Algerian War in the 1950s.<\/span><\/span>
\nLa RDC accuse la Zambie de vouloir annexer une partie de son territoire<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span><\/span> 10 May 2020 <\/span><\/span>|<\/span><\/span> KivuPress<\/span><\/span>
\nLe gouvernement congolais a accus\u00e9, vendredi, la Zambie de vouloir annexer une partie du territoire du sud-est de la R\u00e9publique d\u00e9mocratique du Congo (RDC) et a d\u00e9cid\u00e9 de d\u00e9ployer des troupes suppl\u00e9mentaires dans deux villes frontali\u00e8res avec la Zambie.<\/span><\/span>
\nThousands Forced to Flee Violent Interethnic Attacks in Eastern DRC<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span><\/span> 10 May 2020 <\/span><\/span>| VoA<\/span><\/span>
\nIn the last two months, the U.N. Refugee Agency reports more than 200,000 people have been forced to flee surging violence between the Lendu and Hema groups in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo\u2019s Ituri Province.<\/span><\/span>
\nLe Burkina \u201cd\u00e9plore\u201d des violences des forces de l\u2019ordre contre des r\u00e9fugi\u00e9s maliens<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span><\/span> 6 May 2020 <\/span><\/span>|<\/span><\/span> Benin24tv<\/span><\/span>
\nLe gouvernement du Burkina Faso a d\u00e9plor\u00e9 mardi qu\u2019une \u00abop\u00e9ration de ratissage\u00bb de ses forces de l\u2019ordre ait caus\u00e9 des bless\u00e9s dans un camp de r\u00e9fugi\u00e9s maliens dans le nord du pays. Le Haut-Commissariat de l\u2019ONU pour les r\u00e9fugi\u00e9s (HCR) avait condamn\u00e9 lundi des violences des forces de s\u00e9curit\u00e9 burkinab\u00e8 contre des r\u00e9fugi\u00e9s maliens \u2013 qu\u2019elles accusaient de \u00abcomplicit\u00e9\u00bb avec des assaillants djihadistes \u2013 dans le camp de Mentao, pr\u00e8s de Djibo, ayant fait \u00ab32 bless\u00e9s\u00bb samedi.<\/span><\/span>
\nEn Afrique, des arm\u00e9es accus\u00e9es de brutalit\u00e9<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span><\/span> 5 May 2020 <\/span><\/span>|<\/span><\/span> DW<\/span><\/span>
\nDe nombreuses exactions sur des populations civiles sont imput\u00e9es \u00e0 certaines forces arm\u00e9es et de s\u00e9curit\u00e9. Ces atteintes aux droits humains sont r\u00e9guli\u00e8rement d\u00e9nonc\u00e9es par les ONG nationales et internationales.<\/span><\/span>
\nRebel splits and failed peace talks drive new violence in Congo\u2019s Ituri<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span><\/span> 5 May 2020 <\/span><\/span>| The New Humanitarian<\/span><\/span>
\nWhen hundreds of militiamen arrived in January at a government-run demobilisation camp in the Democratic Republic of Congo\u2019s northeastern province of Ituri, there was a flicker of hope that more than two years of conflict might be abating.<\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nMassacre de Rangers: la RDC accuse de nouveau des rebelles hutus rwandais<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span><\/span><\/span> 4 May 2020 <\/span><\/span><\/span>| La Libre Belgique<\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nLa R\u00e9publique d\u00e9mocratique du Congo a de nouveau accus\u00e9 les rebelles hutu rwandais des Forces d\u00e9mocratiques alli\u00e9es (FDLR) d\u2019\u00eatre les auteurs du massacre d\u2019une douzaine des Rangers fin avril dans le parc des Virunga, selon les r\u00e9sultats d\u2019une \u201cenqu\u00eate pr\u00e9liminaire\u201d, a indiqu\u00e9 lundi un responsable s\u00e9curitaire.<\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nRCA : affrontements intergroupe arm\u00e9s \u00e0 Nd\u00e9l\u00e9, le Patron du PRNC Nourd Gregaza d\u00e9nonce le comportement de la Minusca<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span><\/span><\/span> 4 May 2020 <\/span><\/span><\/span>| Corbeau News<\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nCommuniqu\u00e9 de presse de Monsieur Nourd Gregaza , Pr\u00e9sident du PRNC.<\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nBurundi : aux racines d\u2019une crise ancienne et particuli\u00e8rement complexe…<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span><\/span><\/span> 3 May 2020 <\/span><\/span><\/span>| FranceTvInfo<\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nLa situation est tr\u00e8s tendue au Burundi, o\u00f9 des \u00e9lections pr\u00e9sidentielle, l\u00e9gislatives et municipales doivent se tenir le 20 mai 2020. Les raisons de cette crise tr\u00e8s complexe plongent dans le pass\u00e9. Pour les appr\u00e9hender, il faut remonter dans l\u2019histoire de ce pays, ancienne colonie allemande, puis belge, devenue ind\u00e9pendante en 1962. Une histoire au cours de laquelle ont \u00e9t\u00e9 assassin\u00e9es des centaines de milliers de personnes, Hutus comme Tutsis. Quelques clefs pour tenter de comprendre une r\u00e9alit\u00e9 plus que complexe.<\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nMalian army responsible for 101 extrajudicial killings at start of 2020 – UN report says<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span><\/span><\/span> 2 May 2020 <\/span><\/span><\/span>| RFI<\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nLa sale guerre des forces du G5 Sahel<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span><\/span><\/span> 4 May 2020 <\/span><\/span><\/span>| Mondafrique<\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nMalian soldiers carried out more than 100 extrajudicial killings in the first three months of 2020, according to a report published this week by UN human rights monitors. In total, 589 violations of human rights were documented in Mail between 1 January and 31 March, said the UN mission in Mali (Minusma). <\/span><\/span><\/span>
\n“Pr\u00e9sence de militaires rwandais” dans l\u2019Est de la RDC : d\u00e9cryptage du silence de F. Tshisekedi et des propos ambigus de J. Makelele<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span><\/span><\/span> 2 May 2020 <\/span><\/span><\/span>| Actualite.cd<\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nDes semaines, des mois durant, malgr\u00e9 les rumeurs persistantes sur la pr\u00e9sence de militaires rwandais dans les provinces du Nord et du Sud-Kivu, les populations de ces contr\u00e9es ont vainement attendu la r\u00e9action de la RDC d\u2019en haut. R\u00e9cemment, d\u2019aucuns ont m\u00eame \u00e9voqu\u00e9 \u201cl\u2019envahissement\u201d du territoire congolais par l\u2019arm\u00e9e rwandaise. Kinshasa rest\u00e9 aphone. Ou presque. <\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nRDC : quatre miliciens tu\u00e9s dans le Parc national<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span><\/span><\/span> 30 April 2020 <\/span><\/span><\/span>| VONews<\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nQuatre miliciens ont \u00e9t\u00e9 tu\u00e9s et quatre bless\u00e9s dans le Parc national de Kahuzi Biega (PNKB) dans l\u2019est de la R\u00e9publique d\u00e9mocratique du Congo au cours d\u2019une op\u00e9ration contre un groupe se livrant \u00e0 des activit\u00e9s ill\u00e9gales, a indiqu\u00e9 mercredi le PNKB.<\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nDozens killed in northeast Central African Republic clashes<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span><\/span><\/span> 30 April 2020 <\/span><\/span><\/span>| Al Jazeera<\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nAt least 25 people have been killed and 51 others wounded in clashes in the northeast of the Central African Republic, according to the country’s communications minister.<\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nRwanda accuses Burundi army of fighting in DR Congo<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span><\/span><\/span> 28 April 2020 <\/span><\/span><\/span>| BBC<\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nRwanda’s President Paul Kagame has accused Burundi’s army of fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, as he denied claims of deploying his own troops to the region.<\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nUS military sheds some light on civilian casualties from shadowy war in Somalia<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span><\/span><\/span> 27 April 2020 <\/span><\/span><\/span>| Amnesty International<\/span><\/span><\/span>
\n\u201cThis first regular public report acknowledging AFRICOM\u2019s role in civilian casualties is a welcome glimmer of transparency in more than a decade of deadly military operations that until now have been shrouded in secrecy. Now there must be accountability and reparation for the victims and their families.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nBurkina Faso : Nouveaux massacres commis par des groupes arm\u00e9s islamistes<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span><\/span><\/span> 27 April 2020 <\/span><\/span><\/span>| Pressafrik<\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nAu Burkina Faso, des groupes arm\u00e9s islamistes pr\u00e9sum\u00e9s ont tu\u00e9 au moins 90 civils lors de trois attaques perp\u00e9tr\u00e9es fin janvier 2020 contre des villages, provoquant la fuite de milliers de personnes, a d\u00e9clar\u00e9 aujourd\u2019hui Human Rights Watch. Ces attaques, commises entre le 17 et le 25 janvier, ont acc\u00e9l\u00e9r\u00e9 la cr\u00e9ation par le gouvernement d\u2019une nouvelle milice d\u2019autod\u00e9fense, faisant craindre de nouveaux abus.<\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nSahel: des membres du Conseil europ\u00e9enne et les \u00c9tats membres du G5 Sahel r\u00e9affirment leur engagement pour la s\u00e9curit\u00e9 et la stabilit\u00e9<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> |<\/span><\/span><\/span> 25 April 2020 <\/span><\/span><\/span>| Wakatsera<\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nCeci est une d\u00e9claration conjointe des membres du Conseil europ\u00e9en avec les \u00c9tats membres du G5 Sahel qui r\u00e9affirment leur engagement conjoint pour la s\u00e9curit\u00e9, la stabilit\u00e9 et le d\u00e9veloppement du Sahel.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The IPIS briefing offers a selection of articles, news and updates on natural resources, armed conflict, Business & Human Rights and arms trade.\u00a0 Every month, an editorial and related publications shed a light on a specific topic in IPIS’ areas of research. In focus: Impact of Covid-19 on artisanal miners in DR Congo\u00a0 In the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":18642,"template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"publication-author":[2794],"publication-gis":[],"briefing-category":[7051],"publication-editor":[],"narrative":[],"class_list":["post-14094","weekly-briefing","type-weekly-briefing","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","publication-author-guillaume-de-brier","briefing-category-ipis-briefing"],"yoast_head":"\nIPIS Briefing June 2020 - Impact of Covid-19 on artisanal miners in DR Congo - 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\/nl\/weekly-briefing\/ipis-briefing-june-2020\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"nl_NL\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"IPIS Briefing June 2020 - Impact of Covid-19 on artisanal miners in DR Congo\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The IPIS briefing offers a selection of articles, news and updates on natural resources, armed conflict, Business & Human Rights and arms trade.\u00a0 Every month, an editorial and related publications shed a light on a specific topic in IPIS’ areas of research. 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