COVID-19 – OECD Call to Action for Responsible Mineral Supply Chains
By AGC Staff - May 11, 2020
Mineral Supply Chain Due Diligence should be maintained and strengthened in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
That is the message of the Multi-stakeholder Steering Group (MSG) of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Due Diligence programme, which today called on governments, companies, funding agencies, and civil society organisations to safeguard gains related to due diligence in mineral supply chains, in accordance with the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Mineral Supply Chains for Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas.
Image courtesy: OECD
The OECD Due Diligence Guidance helps companies to responsibly source minerals such as gold, tin, tungsten, and tantalum from countries where there is an actual war or conflict or countries with high-risk areas that may include areas of political instability or repression, institutional weakness, insecurity, the collapse of civil infrastructure, and widespread violence. Sometimes called “conflict minerals”, these minerals have been implicated in the funding of rebels and other armed groups. The MSG is made up of about 50 representatives from the government, companies, non-governmental organizations, and trade associations.
The MSG’s call to action included four specific measures:
- A call to activate humanitarian and emergency response networks to reduce the potentially devastating impacts of COVID-19 on artisanal and small-scale mining communities.
- A call on donors and others to allocate funds for on-the-ground programmes and small and medium enterprises (with conditions).
- A call to foster the sustainable inclusion of responsible artisanal and small-scale mining projects into global supply chains.
- A call to ensure the right balance of maintaining integrity and flexibility in due diligence efforts during this period.
The full Call to Action can be found here:
https://mneguidelines.oecd.org/COVID-19-Call-to-Action-for-Responsible-Mineral-Supply-Chains.pdf
The OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Conflict Afflicted and High-Risk Areas can be found here:
http://www.oecd.org/daf/inv/mne/OECD-Due-Diligence-Guidance-Minerals-Edition3.pdf
Étant une organisation non gouvernementale travaillant dans l’encadrement des acteurs miniers en amont de la chaîne d’approvisionnement de minerai en province de l’Ituri, Est de la RDC, constatons l’impact de covid -19 sur la chaîne d’approvisionnement de minerai. Ses effets sont perceptible. L’appel à l’aide financière est indispensable pour des projets que nous proposons implémenter en faveur de cette communauté vulnérable des creuseurs artisanaux.
Bonjour Augustin,
Je comprends parfaitement votre point de vue. Moi meme j’estais en Ituri beaucoup des fois et y ai vu le secteur de l’or artisanal. C’est la base même de l’économie. Pourtant, en cette période très perturbée, cette base a été enlevée.
Nous travaillons pour aider à redémarrer les chaînes d’approvisionnement artisanales en or. En attendant, nous essayons de tenir le monde informé de ce qui se passe. Si vous souhaitez nous écrire et nous parler des conditions en Ituri – des prix de l’or et des mineurs qui travaillent ou ne travaillent pas – nous serions heureux de le publier ici sur notre portail COVID-19.
Gardez-vous bien et mes meilleurs vœux
Shawn Blore