The CFTI was a multi-stakeholder project that ran from 2012 to June 2014, which focused on realistic and sustainable solutions to the issues of “conflict minerals” from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The CFTI aimed to show that companies can source conflict free minerals from the DRC in accordance with legislation (such as the US Dodd Frank Act, Section 1502) and international guidelines (OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chain of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas) through the use of joint industry programmes such as iTSCi (ITRI Tin Supply Chain Initiative) and CFSP (Conflict Free Smelter Program).
In 2012, a de-facto embargo persisted across the DRC provinces of South and North Kivu, as well as many areas of Maniema. Without upstream due diligence and traceability programs in place, downstream companies were unwilling to take on the due diligence and other risks associated with sourcing from the region. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands (MFA) took action to encourage international sourcing of conflict-free minerals from high-risk areas by financing the re-launch of the iTSCi due diligence and traceability programme in the Kivu Provinces, specifically the Kalimbi mine in Nyabibwe area of South Kivu.
The Netherlands was the neutral broker, bringing industry partners together throughout the supply chain, from the mine, to exporters, international trader, Malaysian smelter, soldering paste and tinplate manufacturers and end-users in the electronics industry in order to try to ensure a market for the minerals produced. The tin mine was assessed and found to be conflict-free both by the iTSCi Programme and the validation process of the DRC Government, and the MFA partly financed Pact, an international development NGO, to implement field activities of iTSCi to allow a re-start of trade under monitored conditions.
The CFTI represented an important milestone towards conflict-free mineral trading in the DRC, proving that due diligence and traceability is possible, even in the most challenging circumstances. Incidents occurred and were investigated and mitigated through a transparent system that involved communities, supply chain participants, and the government. The social impact was positive because this initiative restarted the local economy and generated an income for miners who had been unemployed during the de facto embargo. Traceability was an essential contributor to formalization of mining, and it became a springboard to enable miners to work in improved work conditions.
The CFTI concluded in 2014 after demonstrating that it is possible to provide a reliable, traceable supply of conflict-free minerals to the international market from some of the most volatile and complex places in the world, and the iTSCi Programme continued to ensure conflict-free sourcing from the region continued. In July 2015 iTSCi and Pact announced a follow-on project with the MFA to achieve “Scaling up Mineral Trade” in the Great Lakes Region of central Africa. The project will enable iTSCi to increase the inclusion of 3Ts mines by around 25%, the number of trained government representatives by roughly 33%, improve data collection and strengthen capacity of local stakeholders to monitor the integrity of the system. Importantly, the project also aims to maximize the benefits available to local participants from the exploitation of mineral resources through training in literacy, savings and business management, as well as raising awareness of safety issues and supporting women’s representation and opportunities in the sector. For more information, visit iTSCi’s website or email MFA: igg@minbuza.nl , or itsci: itsci@itri.co.uk
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