Topic: Reducing Violence Associated with Conflict Minerals
Country: France
Delegate Name: Collin Mathias
School: Forest Hills Northern High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All France position papers GLIMUN 2011 committees
With the dawn of the Information Age, cell phones and other gadgets of technology have required the use of minerals such as "tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold". Since these minerals are rare, militant groups have taken command of mines throughout the world to finance operations. At the same time though, legitimate mines do exist. Throughout the Great Lakes Region of Africa, both types of mines are scattered, mostly through the eastern portions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In 2010, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) passed Resolution 1952 that began to truly recognize conflict minerals throughout the DRC as a problem the world must solve.
France continues to maintain healthy relationships with many African nations and fights for the best situation in which they can grow. It was France that authored and proposed UNSC Resolution 1952 and recommended the creation of the Group of Experts on the DRC, with one specializing on the exploitation of natural resources. It was France as well, that pushes for multilateral training of Congolese police forces by the European Union (EU). And it is France that will ensure the DRC realizes its great "potential".
Recently, we have seen legislation such as the United States Dodd-Frank Act which has stressed the need for transparency in all American companies' dealings with conflict mineral areas. However, these types of acts have had unintended consequences. Entire legitimate mines have gone out of business as companies choose to avoid the DRC as a whole.
Instead, France would propose a two-pronged solution. The Kimberley Process has worked almost perfectly in the cessation of conflict diamond transactions. The best action for the entire world to enact would be to expand that process to include conflict minerals. At the same time, work must be done with the combined force of the United Nations Police Force (UNPOL)and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) to train DRC police forces. As the world works to ensure their sources of minerals are conflict free, the DRC can ensure legitimate mines continue operation.
A solution to reduce violence associated with conflict minerals can only be done through cooperation of the exporters and importers. France will work to combine the efforts of these groups to guarantee a safer tomorrow.
