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
Navigating insecurity: Community-combatant relations and the role of traditional leaders in Eastern DRC
September 23, 2025The briefing is based on research in which IPIS itself was not involved. The data discussed were collected as part of a PhD research project at the Center for Security Studies (CSS) at ETH Zürich. For over two decades, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has experienced persistent violence shaped by a complex web of armed groups, shifting alliances, and limited state presence. The
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
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
CSOs gather in Dar es Salaam to strategize on engagement with extractive sector companies
July 1, 2025In June 2025, IPIS convened a workshop in Dar es Salaam, bringing together 11 civil society organizations (CSOs) to strengthen strategies and coordination for engaging with companies in the extractive sector. The event brought together both grassroots organizations working directly with communities living near extractive sites or infrastructure, and more policy-oriented CSOs engaged in advocacy an
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
After the tailings dam collapse: Community perspectives on compensation and restoration at the Williamson diamond mine, Tanzania
May 6, 2025In November 2022, a major accident occurred at the Williamson diamond mine in Tanzania’s Shinyanga region, when approximately 150 meters of the eastern wall of the mine’s tailings storage facility (TSF) collapsed. This released a large volume of tailings slurry that spread northeast, covering an estimated 5.4 km² in a single day and severely impacting land and water resources in and around the min
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
Chinese investment in Tanzania’s small-scale mining: The challenge of technical support and regulatory oversight
April 7, 2025DARUBINI – TANZANIA BRIEFING – MARCH 2025 Chinese investments in Africa’s mineral sector have expanded rapidly in recent years, driven by China’s increased resource demand, the continent’s abundant mineral reserves and the risk-taking entrepreneurial culture among Chinese investors. To address concerns about ethical practices, the China Chamber of Commerce of Metals, Minerals, and Chemicals Import
KUFUATILIA expands to Tanzania: Strengthening civil society monitoring and community support in the mining sector
April 2, 2025In March 2025, IPIS successfully launched KUFUATILIA, its civil society organization (CSO) incident monitoring scheme for the mining sector, in Tanzania’s Mara region. KUFUATILIA is a community-based incident reporting system designed to facilitate real-time, structured reporting by community members through mobile phones.
Promoting DDR programmes while arming non-state armed groups: Congo’s paradoxical conflict resolution policies in the context of the M23 insurgency
February 11, 2025When President Félix Tshisekedi came to power in 2019, he firmly promised the Congolese citizens to end the conflicts and restore peace in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). To reach these goals, his government wanted to combine regional diplomacy to establish political and security cooperation between DRC and neighbouring countries, with enhanced military operations against armed groups
Balancing prosperity and rights: Advancing Tanzania’s Business and Human Rights agenda in extractives
January 30, 2025DARUBINI – TANZANIA BRIEFING – JANUARY 2025 In today’s global business environment, corporate responsibility towards host community welfare, particularly safeguarding and respecting human rights, has become a pivotal concern. The issue reached a watershed moment in 2011 with the development of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). These principles rest on a th
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 consequences
Insecurity in Niger in the wake of the junta’s rise to power: A persistent and growing challenge
December 3, 2024Ce briefing est aussi disponible en français. On 26 July 2023, General Abdourahamane Tiani overthrew Niger’s democratically-elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, on the pretext that the government had mishandled the economy and had failed to make sufficient progress against the country’s various insurgencies.1 This Friday, 6 December 2024, will mark the junta’s 500th day in power. Using attacks again
Public benefit or burden: Land acquisition for the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) and its impact on agro-pastoral communities in Tanzania
October 15, 2024Over the past year, momentum has been building in Tanzania for the construction of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP). This 1,443 km-long pipeline will transport oil from the west of Uganda (Hoima district) to export facilities on Tanzania’s Indian Ocean coast in Tanga region. In December 2023, the project – a partnership between the governments of Uganda and Tanzania (through their natio
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 […]
Voices from Tanzania – Social and economic impacts of land acquisition by Barrick North Mara Gold Mine in Tanzania: A case study of Komarera, Kewanja and Mjini Kati villages in Tarime District
June 19, 2024In Tanzania, the need for land has increased dramatically in recent years, to accommodate different types of investment that push for the country’s industrialization, economic growth and development. Despite the existence of well-established procedures and legal provisions, challenges persist within Tanzania regarding land acquisition […]
Voices from Tanzania – The social-economic impact of land acquisition practices related to Bulyanhulu Gold Mine on communities in Msalala district council, Shinyanga region
June 17, 2024This publication is part of IPIS’ Voices from Tanzania series and its edition on “The impact of land acquisition practices in the extractive sectors of northern Tanzania”. In their Voices from Tanzania study Rafiki SDO assesses the socio-economic impacts of land acquisition practices by the Bulyanhulu gold mine on 2 villages in Msalala district council, Shinyanga region. Download the report (EN) P
Voices from Tanzania – Small-scale producers’ awareness and involvement in the process of land acquisition for the East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline: The case study of Kilindi district in Tanga region
June 11, 2024This publication is part of IPIS’ Voices from Tanzania series and its edition on “The impact of land acquisition practices in the extractive sectors of northern Tanzania”. In their Voices from Tanzania study HAKIARDHI assesses the level of awareness and involvement of small-scale producers in the land acquisition processes for the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) in 2 villages of Kilin
