On-the-ground work helps Congo more than foreign efforts
Letter to the Editor, By Assheton Stewart Carter
The Washington Post
Thursday, July 29, 2010
We all want safe, non-exploitative mining in the Democratic Republic of the Congo -- and responsible business practices in our own country [Trying to curb trade of 'conflict minerals,' front page, July 21].
However, restrictions or bans on conflict minerals may cause business to abandon the country, leaving many Congolese citizens who depend on mining for their livelihood even more vulnerable.
As a nongovernmental organization working with miners since 2005, we have been building trust and cooperation between the Congolese government, industry and miners to make communities safe. What we have seen suggests that foreign efforts to legislate change will have limited success. Better that we support ongoing efforts to develop solutions that yield sustainable results.
Members of the tin industry, the Congo government and local groups have started to work together to track minerals and provide verifiable provenance information. We are committed to continued support of efforts that bring together the government, the private sector and donors to improve the mining sector and the communities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Assheton Stewart Carter, Washington
The writer is senior vice president of global engagement and strategy at Pact.
(View the letter on The Washington Post's web site)
