Mapping mining permits in the Central African Republic: A new dashboard to support extractive sector transparency
June 25, 2026The 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’s suspension from the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) expo
Shifting frontlines in 2026: New year – old challenges. Hostilities in eastern DRC continue amid increased diplomatic efforts
June 25, 2026As the conflict in eastern DRC entered its third year of major hostilities between the Rwanda-backed AFC/M23 alliance and the FARDC/Wazalendo coalition, diplomatic efforts continued in early 2026 to advance the peace process. Despite renewed diplomatic momentum and both parties’ stated commitment to the peace processes, the situation on the ground remained marked by continuous violent clashes, shi
Annual Report 2025
June 24, 2026Looking back at 2025, we witnessed a year that was defined by escalating conflicts. The AFC/M23’s capture of the provincial capitals of Goma and Bukavu in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in early 2025 directly impacted our team, partners, and activities focused on peace and natural resource governance. The rebel group’s territorial advance and the resulting violence – both with the Cong
Draft Flemish Arms Trade Decree: Analysis and recommendations
June 8, 2026On 8 May 2026, the Flemish Government gave its final approval to the draft decree regulating the import, export, transit and transfer of military goods, civilian firearms, essential components and ammunition (Arms Trade Decree) to replace the Arms Trade Decree of 2012. In this report, IPIS and Amnesty International Flanders conclude that the draft fails to ensure effective control of the arms trad
The impact of bauxite mining on livestock farming and fishing in the prefecture of Boké in Guinea
March 23, 2026The prefecture of Boké in the Republic of Guinea is home to the world’s largest bauxite reserves. Bauxite is used to produce aluminum, a metal that is essential to the defense, construction, aerospace, and renewable energy industries. Driven by global demand, bauxite mining in Guinea has accelerated significantly since 2015. However, the environmental impact of the mining industry is undermining c
The emergence of the Wazalendo in the fight against the AFC/M23 in North Kivu: Current situation, challenges and prospects
February 5, 2026On January 27, 2025, the Congo River Alliance/March 23 Movement (AFC/M23) – supported by Rwanda – took control of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and then moved on to Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu, which fell in February 2025. The re-emergence of M23 in 2021 and its rapid advance prompted the Congolese government to resort to non-state armed
Large-scale infrastructure as an instrument for local development? The Niger-Benin Export Pipeline and its impact on rural communities in northern Benin
January 14, 2026Operational since March 2024, Africa’s longest crude oil pipeline, the Niger-Benin Export Pipeline (NBEP), connects the oil fields of Agadem in eastern Niger to the port of Sèmè-Kpodji in southern Benin. like other large-scale infrastructure investments, the NBEP promises to bring significant benefits to both its investors and its host countries. The NBEP project is expected to bring socioeconomic
Shifting frontlines in October, November and December – Limits of diplomacy: AFC/M23 advances after Washington Accords
December 19, 2025On 4 December 2025, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) signed the US-brokered Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity, committing to cease hostilities, establish a permanent ceasefire, and implement the 25 April Declaration of Principles and the 27 June Peace Agreement. However, critical questions have been raised about the prospects for lasting peace in eastern DRC, as Kig
Mapping artisanal mining sites in the Kibali gold mine concession in Faradje territory, Haut-Uélé, DRC
December 8, 2025In the Faradje administrative territory in the northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo’s Haut-Uélé province, more than 5,000 people rely on artisanal gold mining to earn a living and support their families. Many artisanal-mining families have done so for generations. They currently work on sites that now fall largely within mining permits owned by Kibali Goldmines (Kibali), a joint venture of Ba
Pastoralism in West Africa: From a vector of conflict to a tool for peace and sustainability?
November 26, 2025Since 2020, West Africa has been experiencing political turmoil characterised by a series of coups d’état, which led to the emergence of two blocs: the coastal countries, which are still members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, who founded the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in 2023. Combining literature review with primary data collected
The weight of silence: How the Mobondo revolt is shaking western DRC
November 20, 2025Since 2022, western Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been plagued by a major security and humanitarian crisis, with more than 5,000 dead, and 280,000 still displaced. While international attention has focused on the violent conflicts in eastern DRC, an intercommunity conflict at the on the outskirts of Kinshasa is sinking into a spiral of violence, with very little attention from national au
M23’s territorial advances in July, August, and September 2025 – Escalating violence and fragile peace in eastern DRC’s Kivu regions
October 17, 2025New peace agreements from Washington and Doha have brought hope for initiating a pathway to resolve the ongoing M23-conflict in DRC’s eastern territories in recent months. However, after the signing of the Declaration of Principles in Doha on 19 July, direct negotiations between the DRC and AFC/M23 were intended to result in a comprehensive peace agreement and were planned to begin no later than 8
Land acquisition and access to remedies in Tanzania’s extractive sector: Gaps in regulatory frameworks and pathways to reform
September 23, 2025DARUBINI – TANZANIA BRIEFING – SEPTEMBER 2025 While Tanzania legal framework offers some protection for land rights, the actual practice in Tanzania’s extractive sector companies remains challenging, falling short of human rights standards based on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). State ownership of subsoil resources (minerals, petroleum) often prioritizes mineral ex
Annual Report 2024
September 12, 2025The past year has left many of us witnessing a collapsing world order. In this rapidly evolving global landscape, marked by increasing geopolitical fragmentation, growing competition over critical minerals, and shifting alliances, IPIS has remained focused on its mission: provide governments and private sector actors with fact-based perspectives, support civil society across Sub Saharan Africa and
Access to justice in Tanzania’s mining sector: preparing for the critical mineral rush
August 31, 2025DARUBINI – TANZANIA BRIEFING – AUGUST 2025 The global energy system is undergoing a profound transformation toward clean energy and a low-carbon future. This global energy transition demands the widespread deployment of clean energy technologies such as solar panels, wind turbines, and electric vehicles, which are highly dependent on critical minerals like lithium, graphite, nickel, copper, cobalt
Impact of Unconditional Cash Transfers on socio-economic and subjective well-being in an artisanal mining community in the DRC: Highlights from a midline assessment
July 18, 2025Cash transfer programmes that provide financial support directly to households have been implemented in many countries as an alternative strategy to fight poverty and to strengthen social protection. In 2021, the Belgian non-profit organisation Eight launched a UCT programme in an artisanal mining zone in the province of Maniema, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. IPIS conducted a pilot and cont
M23’s territorial advances in June – A long path to peace: Renewed efforts to resolve the M23 conflict in Eastern Congo
July 18, 2025New mediation efforts have been made throughout June to end the ongoing conflict between the Rwandan-backed M23 rebels and pro-government forces in the North and South Kivu regions of eastern Congo. On June 27th, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda signed a peace agreement in Washington, D.C., aimed at de-escalating tensions and fostering regional stability after years of conflict in easte
Diamonds, conflict and crime in the Central African Republic: The lifting of the last Kimberley Process embargo
June 17, 2025For over a decade, the Central African Republic (CAR) has been at the center of international efforts to curb the trade in conflict diamonds. In 2013, the Kimberley Process (KP) imposed a rough diamond export embargo following a violent coup and widespread reports of rebel financing through diamond mining and trade. While the embargo was partially eased between 2015 and 2019, further progress stal
M23’s territorial advances in May – From Doha to Goma: The disconnect between diplomacy and reality in Eastern Congo
June 12, 2025Despite the ongoing peace negotiations between the Rwandan-backed M23 rebels and the Congolese government in Doha (Qatar), and the signature of a declaration of principles between Rwanda and the DRC, under the patronage of the United States in Washington, D.C. in April, the evolution of the conflict in eastern DRC has shown no sign of abating.
Diamonds in the DRC: A sector struggling to shine again
April 23, 2025The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is an important player in the global diamond industry, with considerable untapped potential. This report discusses the current state of play in the DRC’s diamond mining sector, including production trends, key challenges, as well as efforts and opportunities to revive the sector and to increase its impact on local development and socio-economic well-being
