African states wary of potential repeal of `conflict minerals` rule

by Dramelin 7:30 AM 0 comments

Human Rights Watch said last week that suspending the rule would undermine efforts to eliminate conflict minerals from supply chains. KINSHASA A possible plan by U.S. President Donald Trump to suspend a rule on "conflict minerals" could help fund armed groups and contribute to a surge in unrest in central Africa, regional states said on Wednesday. The minerals covered by the rule - gold, tin, tantalum and tungsten - are important components in various electronics, aviation products and jewelry. The International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), a regional body comprising 12 member states including Congo, warned that repealing the provision would make it harder to ensure that minerals were conflict free. Sources told Reuters last week that Trump planned to issue a directive targeting a Dodd-Frank rule that requires companies to disclose whether their products contain "conflict minerals" from war-torn parts of Africa, including Democratic Republic of Congo.