Conflict Minerals

Mineral resources open the eyes of ambitious groups who want to find their own benefit in the exploitation of minerals to fund violence and insurrection and committing human rights abuses. Unfortunately investments are conditioned by the situation of the country where the economic and political rules are not established. The profits generated by the sale of these resources support the fight of armed groups. Conflict minerals introduce to the international market through intermediaries and have direct impediment to develop a country. It gives corruption in all levels that damages the majority and benefits few people. It subtracts resources in priority areas such as health, social development and education. It is an obstacle for any country to establish a strong political government, socioeconomic, and corporate.

Africa has a long reputation of being a continent with more conflicts. There are several African countries which apparently been benefited with mineral resources (gold, copper, diamonds, oil, coltan); however, it looks like a Dutch disease. DCR is a place seemingly blessed with all kinds of minerals, but is always down in the human development index of the United Nations, these resources are the cause to continue the conflict, corruption, and several internal and external wars in the country along its history. Another example is the diamond mines of Sierra Leona which is one of the main forces that were behind the internal conflict. Insurgents and government want to have control to generate money to hire mercenaries, buy arms and generate own wealth. It brings bad government and corruption which are the reason that some countries have the most high indicators of child mortality, poverty and low human development and life expectation. By contrast, Botswana, rich in diamonds has not seen in its mineral wealth an impediment for the government to be transparent, and is the country in Africa that occupies the top spot in the rankings of transparency international.

Conflict minerals keep off the growth, welfare and income distribution. It is a problem that occurs in countries with abundant resources and particularly when it increases the price of mineral in the stock market. The complexity this problem requires a special attention form the government and communities to overcome this issue. It is necessary to share the information with transparency to avoid misunderstandings between government, community and companies. In this manner the participation and commitment of stakeholders will be increased because they will part of decision making that affect their life style. By diminishing the conflict is necessary an anti-corruption education at all levels and work with the objective to develop the community, country and the same companies with sustainable development. Finally, it is necessary to establish a government with clear policy that respect human rights, freedom of speech, peaceful change of government,

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