Ken Matthysen
Armed conflict, insecurity, and mining in eastern DRC: reflections on the nexus between natural resources and armed conflict
December 7, 2022download the report This report offers a new framework for looking at the eastern Congo conflict, one within which new evolutions of the past twenty years find a place. Indeed, violent conflict in eastern Congo has changed dramatically in all its aspects over the past two decades. Yet too often policymakers and observers appear to assume that we are dealing with a proxy war orchestrated from the D
Analysis of the interactive map of artisanal mining areas in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo – 2022 update
November 29, 2022In eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector plays an important role in the local economy. While large-scale armed conflict over DRC’s mineral wealth has decreased significantly over the past twenty years, armed actors continuously interfere in the mining sector, and conflicts over resources at the local level are still common. Based on new minin
Maps of checkpoints in South Sudan
December 14, 2021A selection of key maps that accompany the 2021 publication “Checkpoint economy: the political economy of checkpoints in South Sudan, ten years after independence”. Interactive webmap of road-and river checkpoints in South Sudan: A static overview map of all road- and river checkpoints in South Sudan (2020 – 2021 data): A static map with details of all checkpoints, per route (2020 – 2021 data): A
Checkpoint economy: the political economy of checkpoints in South Sudan, ten years after independence
December 10, 2021Ten years after independence, the world’s youngest country is home to an entrenched political economy of conflict premised on checkpoint taxation. Humanitarian aid is not exempt, reveals a major new mapping report by DIIS and IPIS. When South Sudan became independent ten years ago, oil revenues were supposed to fuel the economy of the world’s newest country. But two years later in 2013, oil prices
IPIS Insights -The artisanal and small scale mining sector in eastern DRC six months after the Covid-19 outbreak
April 19, 2021In April 2020, when the Coronavirus spread around the world, IPIS started monitoring the impact of the pandemic on the production and trade of the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). IPIS published a report in October 2020 that discussed the results of several rounds of consultations with ASM stakeholders at nearly 90 Tin, Tantalum, Tung
IPIS Briefing January 2021 – Armed groups challenging opportunities for responsible gold mining in Beni
February 9, 2021The IPIS briefing offers a selection of articles, news and updates on natural resources, armed conflict, Business & Human Rights and arms trade. Every month, an editorial and related publications shed a light on a specific topic in IPIS’ areas of research. In focus: Armed groups challenging opportunities for responsible gold mining in Beni In the news: Dan Gertler échappe aux sanctions améric
L’exploitation minière artisanale à Beni-Mbau : Etat des lieux et cartographie des sites miniers
October 30, 2020In the framework of the stabilisation project “Ensemble pour Beni”, IOM, IPIS, ASSODIP and ASADHO carried out a baseline assessment of the artisanal mining sector in the Beni territory. This report provides an overview of the sector and analyses opportunities to promote responsible mineral supply chains.
The impact of Covid-19 on the artisanal mining sector in eastern DRC
October 14, 2020As Covid-19 spreads around the world, artisanal mining communities experience once more how much their livelihoods depend on the global economy. Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, IPIS has closely monitored its impact on 3T, gold and diamond mining and trade in the DRC.
Mapping artisanal mining areas and mineral supply chains in eastern DRC (2019)
April 9, 2019In a new report and webmap, IPIS presents its updated data on armed conflict and armed interference in eastern DRC’s artisanal mining sector. Building on extensive data, gathered over the last ten years, IPIS assesses the impact of responsible sourcing initiatives in DRC, designed to address armed interference in mineral supply chains. The report illustrates that responsible sourcing efforts have
Interactive map of artisanal mining exploitation in eastern DR Congo – 2018 update
March 19, 2018Résumé français ci-dessous – French summary below IPIS launched a major update of it’s DRC webmap displaying data on more than 2400 artisanal mining sites in eastern DRC and more than 800 roadblocks. Since December 2016, IPIS teams have visited more than 500 artisanal mines in eastern DRC, gathering data that has been added to IPIS’ interactive webmap. IPIS also integrated other datasets gathered
Analysis of the interactive map of artisanal mining areas in eastern DR Congo – 2015 update
October 25, 2016The Belgian research group IPIS has collected data on 2026 artisanal mining sites in eastern DRC over the last couple of years. IPIS observed an armed presence in more than half of the mines. In an interactive map, updated in 2015, IPIS provides information about the on-site presence of armed groups and the Congolese army (FARDC) as well as indicators of the relative importance of the site. It als
Review of the Burundian Artisanal Gold Mining Sector
April 22, 2015Burundi is located in the centre of Africa’s Great Lakes Region, a region that has seen a gold rush during the last decade, with both artisanal and industrial mining operations expanding substantially in neighbouring Tanzania and the DR Congo (DRC). At the same time, the illegal taxation and trade of artisanal gold in the eastern DRC forms an increasingly important contribution to financing the pr
Supply Chains and Transport Corridors in East Africa
June 1, 2014Transport infrastructure plays a key role in boosting a country or region’s economic development. IPIS and TransArms have ascertained on several occasions that the underdevelopment or degeneration of transport infrastructure is a problematic issue across a number of African countries and regions. This report analyses the current logistics situation in Eastern Africa, and the logistic challenges fa
De Belgische ontwikkelingssamenwerking en fragiele staten: een kloof tussen beleid en praktijk?
May 8, 2014Zo goed als de helft van de Belgische middelen voor ontwikkelingshulp gaat naar partnerlanden waar de overheid niet de capaciteit, wil en/of legitimiteit heeft om de publieke zaken efficiënt te beheren, voor veiligheid te zorgen en om de bevolking uit de armoede te halen. Omdat traditionele hulprecepten in deze ‘fragiele staten’ op hun limieten stuiten, is er de laatste decennia een internationaal
Analysis of the interactive map of artisanal mining areas in Eastern DRC – May 2014 Update
April 30, 2014In collaboration with the Congolese mining cadastre (CAMI), mining service SAESSCAM and representatives from local civil society organisations, IPIS organised a series of field visits to monitor artisanal mining activities and the involvement of armed groups and criminal networks in mineral exploitation and trade. This resulted in the publication of an interactive web map providing information on
Initiatives en matière de ‘minerais de conflit’ en RD Congo: perceptions des communautés minières locales
December 16, 2013L’exploitation minière est une importante source de revenus pour de nombreuses communautés dans l’est de la République démocratique du Congo (RDC). Cette même richesse minière joue cependant aussi un rôle majeur dans la persistance de l’insécurité dans certaines parties du pays. Les revenus générés par le commerce des minerais fournissent des moyens d’opération aux groupes armés ainsi qu’un financ
‘Conflict Minerals’ initiatives in DR Congo: Perceptions of local mining communities
November 12, 2013The exploitation of minerals is an important source of income for many communities in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Yet this mineral wealth also plays a significant role in the continuation of insecurity in parts of the country. Revenues from mineral trade have given armed groups the means to operate, and provided off-budget funding to (often poorly paid) state security forces. Whils
Strijd tegen conflictmineralen: sleutel tot conflictresolutie in Oost-Congo?
July 24, 2013De PDF van dit artikel is met toestemming van de redactie overgenomen uit de /Internationale Spectator, Clingendael Magazine voor Internationale Betrekkingen/, uitgegeven door de Koninklijke Van Gorcum, te Assen namens het Nederlands Instituut voor Internationale Betrekkingen ‘Clingendael’ te Den Haag. Download in pdf of open met issuu reader. http://issuu.com/ipisresearch/docs/20130700_is_art_mat
Gold and diamonds in the Central African Republic. The country’s mining sector, and related social, economic and environmental issues.
March 29, 2013Gold and diamonds in Central Africa easily conjure up images of conflict, rebel funding, human rights violations, and smuggling. As a country landlocked within an unstable region, neighbouring the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and recently the scene of another coup, the Central African Republic (CAR) might be considered an appropriate candidate for analysis within the conflict-mineral perspe
The Arms Trade Treaty: Building a Path to Disarmament
March 9, 2013The goal of this article is to examine and suggest proposals that could enhance the role of the international Arms Trade Treaty—presently in discussion at the United Nations—in the regulation of the international arms trade and in addressing the role of the legal trade in: a) providing the bulk of the arms used in armed conflicts, armed violence and human rights abuses; b) the excessive arming of