Topic:
Country: Ghana
Delegate Name: Kate Petersburg
Committee: General Assembly
Topic: Impact of Conflict Minerals
Country: Ghana
Delegate: Kate Petersburg
School: Williamston High School
Minerals are used around the world in many different things such as jewelry, currency, computers, electronics and medicine. Many mines produce conflict minerals illegally and don’t follow environmental regulations or protect human rights and can often lead to inhumane labor practices, employee injury or death, theft, and even murder and rape. Most conflict minerals are mined in th Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and many countries profit from these issues. In fact in 2022 around 51% of companies stated that their conflict minerals could have come from the DRC or surrounding countries.
Ghana’s main area of conflict mineral production lies with gold. Ghana’s Gold output over just the last 20 years has spiked tremendously but it has also caused major issues. To fight these issues Ghana has worked with many NGOs to combat the issue of the miners livelihood such as trying to enhance control, improve monitoring, legalization, and registration however it is struggling due to the fact that these operations have been working illegally for a while. In fact the Ghanaian government has failed their goals in regulating the mining sector as of now. The Wacam is still currently working to push for better rights for the miners. There is also the issue of land ownership in Ghana.
Ghana has many plans in the future to help with the negative impacts of conflict minerals mostly under Wacam, which is an NGO specifically there to improve the lives of miners in Ghana. Wacam is currently working in over 90 mining affected areas and wishes to spread further with the main goal being to start a social movement to influence better conditions for workers especially miners. Another main task is to enforce the Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) and the Polluter Pays Principles (PPP) policies. These will help the workers know exactly what kind of work they are signing up for and make environmentally friendly mines pay.
Cited evidence
1. “Ghana – Mining Industry Equipment.” International Trade Administration | Trade.Gov, www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/ghana-mining-industry-equipment. Accessed 21 Nov. 2023.
1. “Ghana – Mining Industry Equipment.” International Trade Administration | Trade.Gov, www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/ghana-mining-industry-equipment. Accessed 21 Nov. 2023.
Author links open overlay panelKayla Patel, et al. “Evaluating Conflict Surrounding Mineral Extraction in Ghana: Assessing the Spatial Interactions of Large and Small-Scale Mining.” The Extractive Industries and Society, Elsevier, 19 Feb. 2016, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2214790X16300065.
“Goal of Strategy.” WACAM, www.wacamgh.org/goals/. Accessed 21 Nov. 2023.
Innovations, ADEC. “The Impact of Conflict Minerals on Business – ADEC ESG.” ADEC ESG Solutions, www.adecesg.com/resources/blog/the-impact-of-conflict-minerals-on-business/#:~:text=and%20electrical%20wiring.-,Cadmium%20is%20a%20main%20ingredient%20of%20batteries.,a%20location%20unsuitable%20for%20business. Accessed 21 Nov. 2023.
Kaechele, Celia, and Gregory Poole. “Home.” GLICA.Org, GLICA.org, 18 Nov. 2023, glica.org/glica-conferences/glimun-2023-conference/glimun-2023-committees/conflict-minerals/.
Musamba, Josaphat, et al. “The Problem with ‘Conflict Minerals.’” Dissent Magazine, 22 Oct. 2021, www.dissentmagazine.org/online_articles/the-problem-with-conflict-minerals/.
Office, U.S. Government Accountability. “Conflict Minerals: 2022 Company Reports on Mineral Sources Were Similar to Those Filed in Prior Years.” Conflict Minerals: 2022 Company Reports on Mineral Sources Were Similar to Those Filed in Prior Years | U.S. GAO, www.gao.gov/products/gao-23-106295. Accessed 21 Nov. 2023.
“The United Nations in Ghana in Ghana.” United Nations, United Nations, ghana.un.org/en/about/about-the-un. Accessed 21 Nov. 2023.
Yiridomoh, Gordon Yenglier. “‘illegal’ Gold Mining Operations in Ghana: Implication for Climate-Smart Agriculture in Northwestern Ghana.” Frontiers, Frontiers, 8 Nov. 2021, www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2021.745317/full.
