Kimberley Process lifts conflict diamonds embargo on the Central African Republic – Q&A
December 4, 2024At its 2024 plenary meeting in Dubai, the Kimberley Process (KP) decided to lift the 11-year-old embargo on rough diamond exports from the Central African Republic. What were the driving factors behind this decision, and what are its implications?In this Q&A, IPIS delves into the background of the embargo, its impact and effectiveness, the rationale for its removal, and the potential consequen
EU acknowledges shortcomings of Conflict Minerals Regulation: What next?
December 4, 2024The European Union’s ‘Conflict Minerals’ Regulation (CMR), which came into effect in January 2021, aims to prevent the trade in minerals that finance armed conflict and human rights abuses. However, both a formal evaluation by the European Commission and one conducted by civil society (IPIS/PAX, 2023), highlight significant shortcomings in the implementation and impact of the Conflict Minerals Reg
Revisiting responsible sourcing: Lessons from the Democratic Republic of Congo
September 16, 2024Thirteen years ago, in May 2011, IPIS participated in the very first meeting in Paris on implementing the newly adopted OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas. At this relatively small gathering – organized by the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), the OECD and the UN Group of Experts on the Democrat
Annual Report 2023
September 9, 2024In 2023, the international scene was marked by several high-intensity armed conflicts, with peace-building efforts and diplomacy being cast aside by military solutions and a new global arms race. Peace actors saw their window to engage — to bring their perspective on conflict resolution — greatly reduced. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), violence in the east further escalated […]
Joint NGO statement: EU Conflict Minerals Regulation failing to reach its goals
October 19, 202320 NGOs call on the EU to step up its enforcement and adopt new measures Download the statement (ENG) Téléchargez la déclaration (FR) Brussels, 19 October 2023 More than six years after it was signed into law, the EU Regulation on the responsible supply of tin, tungsten, tantalum and gold (3TG) originating from conflict-affected and high-risk areas (CAHRAs) is failing to reach its key object
The EU Conflict Minerals Regulation: High stakes, disappointing results
October 19, 2023The EU Regulation on the responsible supply of tin, tungsten, tantalum and gold (3TG) originating from conflict-affected and high-risk areas (CAHRAs) came into full force on 1 January 2021. Also known as the “Conflict Minerals” or “Responsible Minerals” Regulation, it aims to break the link between the exploitation and trade in 3TG on the one hand, and conflict financing on the othe
Joint statement on conflict & due diligence legislation
October 14, 2022The forthcoming EU due diligence Directive is lacking in its provisions for companies that are active in conflict affected areas and should be amended to align better with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Together with 50+ signatories, IPIS calls for a heightened, conflict-sensitive due diligence process for high-risk areas that includes compliance with international humanit
