Eastern DRC: UN aims to strengthen control over mineral supply chains to combat conflict

During a UN Security Council meeting, illicit exploitation and trafficking of natural resources in DRC were identified as key causes of conflict in the eastern region. Huang Xia, UN Special Envoy for the Great Lakes region, called for strengthening the regional initiative against illegal resource exploitation, including accelerating reforms of the certification mechanism covering tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold. The Congolese delegation emphasized the need for traceability and transparency at every stage of supply chains, highlighting that lasting peace depends on controlling resource exploitation and trade.