Commodity / Recommended

Encourages all States to continue efforts to end the illicit trade in natural resources, in particular in the gold sector, and to hold those complicit in the illicit trade accountable, as part of broader efforts to cut off financing for armed groups and criminal networks, including those with members in the FARDC;

Welcomes measures taken by the Governments in the region to implement the Group of Experts due diligence guidelines, including adopting the Regional Certification Mechanism of the ICGLR into their national legislation, in accordance with OECD Guidance and international practice, requests the extension of the certification process to other Member States in the region, and calls on all States, particularly those in the region, to continue to raise awareness of the due diligence guidelines, including by urging importers, processing industries, including gold refiners, and consumers of Congolese mineral products to exercise due diligence in accordance with paragraph 19 of resolution 1952 (2010);

Continues to encourage the ICGLR to put in place the necessary technical capacity required to support Member States in their fight against the illegal exploitation of natural resources, notes that some ICGLR Member States have made significant progress, and recommends all Member States to fully implement the regional certification scheme and report mineral trade statistics in accordance with paragraph 19 of resolution 1952 (2010);

Reaffirms the provisions of paragraphs 7 to 9 of resolution 2021 (2011) and calls upon the DRC and States in the Great Lakes region to cooperate at the regional level to investigate and combat regional criminal networks and armed groups involved in the illegal exploitation of natural resources, including wildlife poaching and trafficking, and require their customs authorities to strengthen their control on exports and imports of minerals from the DRC;