--- title: Congolese Leaders & Academic Experts Publish Letter Questioning Benefits of Conflict Minerals Regulations description: Congolese Leaders & Academic Experts Publish Letter Questioning Benefits of Conflict Minerals Regulations --- [![](https://www.complianceandrisks.com/wp-content/themes/compliancerisk/inc/img/general/compliancelogo.svg)](https://www.complianceandrisks.com/) - Products Products - - [C2P](https://www.complianceandrisks.com/c2p-compliance-knowledge-management-platform/) - [Regulations Management](https://www.complianceandrisks.com/solutions/conquering-the-regulatory-avalanche/) - [Standards Management](https://www.complianceandrisks.com/solutions/standards/) - [Requirements Management](https://www.complianceandrisks.com/solutions/heres-the-regulation-whats-next/) - [Regulatory Topics](https://www.complianceandrisks.com/solutions/regulated-areas/) - [WFSGI Compliant Labelling Requirements Database](https://www.complianceandrisks.com/WFSGI/) - Services Services - [Market Access Service](https://www.complianceandrisks.com/solutions/grow-in-new-markets/) - [Regulatory Process Consulting](https://www.complianceandrisks.com/solutions/best-practices-in-compliance-processes/) - [Environmental, Health & Safety (EH&S)](https://www.complianceandrisks.com/solutions/ehs-and-your-legal-registers/) - [Managed Services](https://www.complianceandrisks.com/solutions/solutions-for-every-day/) - [Training and Systems Implementation](https://www.complianceandrisks.com/solutions/training-and-systems-implementation/) - [Ask Our Experts](https://www.complianceandrisks.com/solutions/your-compliance-question) - Resources News & Resources - [Blog](https://blog.complianceandrisks.com/news-resources?__hstc=67571022.c37393069837d66fdddfdab74b5ad3c6.1593078357468.1593078357468.1593078357468.1&__hssc=67571022.1.1593078357469&__hsfp=693435645) - [Commentary & Analysis](https://blog.complianceandrisks.com/commentary-analysis?__hstc=67571022.c37393069837d66fdddfdab74b5ad3c6.1593078357468.1593078357468.1593078357468.1&__hssc=67571022.1.1593078357469&__hsfp=693435645) - [COVID-19](https://www.complianceandrisks.com/covid-19/) - [Webinars](https://www.complianceandrisks.com/webinars/) - [White Papers & eBooks](https://www.complianceandrisks.com/whitepapers/) - [About](https://www.complianceandrisks.com/about/) Compliance & Risks - [About Us](https://www.complianceandrisks.com/about/) - [Industries](https://www.complianceandrisks.com/compliance-requirements-industries/) - [History](https://www.complianceandrisks.com/compliance-and-risks-history/) - [Careers](https://www.complianceandrisks.com/compliance-risks-careers/) - [Knowledge Partners](https://www.complianceandrisks.com/knowledge-partners/) - [Partners & Affiliates](https://www.complianceandrisks.com/becoming-a-compliance-risks-partner/) - [Get in touch](https://www.complianceandrisks.com/contact/) COVID-19 Regulatory Developments [Find Out More](https://www.complianceandrisks.com/covid-19/) - [Book a demo](https://www.complianceandrisks.com/book-a-demo/) - [Eng](https://complianceandrisks.com) - [日本語](http://complianceandrisks.jp/) ![](https://www.complianceandrisks.com/wp-content/themes/compliancerisk/inc/img/general/burger.svg) Search for: # Congolese Leaders & Academic Experts Publish Letter Questioning Benefits of Conflict Minerals Regulations --- ##### 12 September 2014 In an open letter to governments, companies, non-governmental organizations, and other stakeholders implicated in efforts of various kinds related to the issue of ‘[conflict minerals](http://www.complianceandrisks.com/conflict-minerals/)’, a group of 70 academic experts and Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) officials expressed their concerns that the international movement to create a conflict-free supply chain is having a negative impact on the people it is meant to help.  In particular, while progress has been made in producing more ethical products for consumers, the conflict-free supply chain has not yet proceeded to improve the lives of Congolese people.  The main points raised in the letter are as follows: - Only a small fraction of the hundreds of mining sites in the eastern DRC have been reached by traceability or certification efforts; - Miners who are not under the umbrella of a certification program have three options - turn to the margins of legality (for instance, feeding into smuggling rackets), where armed actors return through the loopholes of transnational regulation. - cease mining and return to subsistence agriculture where persisting insecurity levels leave them in abject poverty facing dire living conditions. - join militias as a means to quick cash in the absence of other opportunities. -  Even in the regions covered by the iTSCi bagging-and-tagging scheme, despite the establishment of a ‘closed pipeline’ from mine to exportation, the mine still suffers from the sporadic influence of armed actors, and miners are made to bear the additional costs of ‘conflict-free’ schemes. The letter asks the stakeholders to take steps to improve communications with local governments, promote deeper reforms in the supply chain, create incentives for greater cooperation, and consider the broader issues underlying the conflict in the region to achieve positive changes for the people who are suffering in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. For further information on conflict minerals legislation in the US and proposed legislation in Europe, why don’t you [**Ask Our Experts**](http://www.complianceandrisks.com/services/ask-our-experts/)?! ### Written by [complianceandrisk](https://go.adherent.com/commentary-analysis-old/author/complianceandrisk) - - - - ## Featured Posts --- ![Stacey Bowers to Present at ICPHSO 2022 Annual Meeting & Training Symposium](https://go.adherent.com/hubfs/icphso%202022%20(1).png) [Stacey Bowers to Present at ICPHSO 2022 Annual Meeting & Training Symposium](https://go.adherent.com/news-resources/stacey-bowers-to-present-at-icphso-2022-annual-meeting-training-symposium) 26 January 2022 ![Regulating Explosive Atmospheres in the Workplace](https://go.adherent.com/hubfs/Regulating%20Explosive%20Atmospheres%20in%20the%20Workplace.png) [Regulating Explosive Atmospheres in the Workplace](https://go.adherent.com/news-resources/regulating-explosive-atmospheres-in-the-workplace) 25 January 2022 ![What's Trending in Product Compliance?](https://go.adherent.com/hubfs/Trending%20Jan%2022.png) [What's Trending in Product Compliance?](https://go.adherent.com/news-resources/whats-trending-in-compliance-jan-22) 24 January 2022 #### Ireland Office   Unit 9 Eastgate Avenue Eastgate Business Park Little Island Cork Ireland +353 (0)21 435 1990 [info@complianceandrisks.com](mailto:info@complianceandrisks.com) #### US Offices   New York 50 Fountain Plaza Suite 1400 Buffalo NY 14202 +1 716 939 1951   California P.O.Box 309 8712 Marysville Road Oregon House, CA 95962 – 0309 +1 530 216 4455 [![Compliance Logo](https://go.adherent.com/hubfs/Compliance_and_Risks_January2018/Images/compliancelogo.svg)](http://www.complianceandrisks.com/) #### Information - [Solutions](https://www.complianceandrisks.com/c2p-platform/) - [Industries](https://www.complianceandrisks.com/industry-solutions/) - [News & Resources](https://www.complianceandrisks.com/resources/) - [About Us](https://www.complianceandrisks.com/about-us/) - [Get in touch](https://www.complianceandrisks.com/contact/) - [About Us](http://www.complianceandrisks.com/about/) - [Get in touch](http://www.complianceandrisks.com/contact/) [![Compliance Logo](https://go.adherent.com/hubfs/Compliance_and_Risks_January2018/Images/compliancelogo.svg)](http://www.complianceandrisks.com/) © 2021 Compliance and Risks Ltd. | [Privacy Policy](http://www.complianceandrisks.com/privacy-policy/)