UN Envoy Djinnit lauds Great Lakes for progress on Regional Mineral Certification Mechanism

6 Nov 2014

UN Envoy Djinnit lauds Great Lakes for progress on Regional Mineral Certification Mechanism

Kinshasa, 6 November 2014 - The Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region, Said Djinnit, attended the third meeting of the Ministers of Mines of the Members States of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), who gathered in Kinshasa, DRC, to assess the progress made in the implementation of the ICGLR Mineral Certification Mechanism launched in 2010. In his address, Special Envoy Djinnit stressed “the necessity to end the illegal exploitation of natural resources including mineral resources, and turn the mining sector into a lever for regional economic cooperation and integration”. He welcomed in particular efforts carried out by the Governments of the DRC, Rwanda and Burundi in domesticating and implementing the ICGLR Mineral Certification Mechanism. Furthermore, the Special Envoy encouraged the ICGLR Members States to “pursue their efforts to harmonize national and regional legislations with international due diligence mechanisms.”