Editor’s Note
This article reports on an expert mission in Gabon assessing compliance with membership conditions for an international regime, with a focus on mining sector audits.
Libreville, Tuesday, September 12, 2017 – A mission of experts from this international regime has been staying in the country for several days to assess compliance with the various conditions for membership.
The Minister of Mines received a delegation of experts from the Kimberley Process on Monday. They came to audit and evaluate the level of compliance of the various procedures and protocols for managing and monitoring mining activity in Gabon, particularly in the diamond sector.
The guests of Christian Magnagna aim to inquire about the organization, the diamond flow circuit, financial flows, and traceability that could make Gabon a compliant country in terms of extractive industries. By becoming the 82nd member of this international regime, the various subsoil resources from the country of the Panthers would no longer be subject to international rejection or suspicion, unlike blood diamonds.
In short, Gabon will gain greater credibility in this sector by joining.
According to the Minister of Mines, the Kimberley Process certification will encourage the control and increase of diamond production by local artisans and allow them to obtain better income. It will also attract major international mining and trading groups and develop investments in the sector.
Gabon will also be able to capture and optimize the financial revenues from its subsoil, especially in a context where the informal sector reigns supreme in the regions of Mitzic, Makongonio, Nzenzelé, Waka, and Makokou, with significant capital flight abroad without real state control.
