The European Union (EU) Ambassador to South Sudan, Timo Olkkonen, has appealed for the engagement and commitment of all the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) countries to seize the potential of the region’s mineral wealth for the long-term benefit of the populations.
Olkkonen said in a statement in Juba on Friday that the European Green Deal, designed to promote climate and environment friendly economic growth, was engaging with all countries of the Great Lakes Region to develop and implement a fair, open and rules-based trade and investment agenda.
“It is within this framework that we contribute to the development of the ICGLR intra-regional mechanism for the management and sustainable governance of natural resources value chains, actively encouraging the passage from trafficking to a legitimate commerce-based economy.
“The engagement and commitment of all countries in the region is needed to responsibly seize the potential of the Great Lakes’ mineral wealth for the long-term benefit of the populations,” he said.
Olkkonen noted that in today’s multi-polar world characterized by unseen levels of conflict and intense global demand for critical raw materials, there was an ever-bigger momentum for regional partnerships governed by common interest and mutual trust that allow pursuing ambitious objectives such as the development of regionally integrated mineral value chains for economic growth.
The ICGLR has proven a forum for the partnership of all 12 Great Lakes countries for peace and prosperity; and specifically, its initiative against the illegal exploitation of natural resources has proven to be an excellent mechanism for advancing mineral resource governance in the region.
Regional cooperation, he explained, is essential for developing integrated mineral-based industries in sub-Saharan Africa.
“Only by harmonizing policies, infrastructure, and trade practices, as well as adhering to international frameworks for transparency and integrity such as Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and Financial Action Task Forces (FATF) Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Terrorism Financing (AML/CFT) framework, ICGLR member states can create competitive mineral supply chains that are regionally integrated, thus paving the way to common lasting solutions for the region and its people,”
The envoy encouraged the ICGLR members to set ambitious recommendations for ending the illegal exploitation of natural resources.
“By setting ambitious goals for setting-up regionally integrated mineral resources value chain that are sustainable and which benefits the people and countries of the region, you can jointly contribute to peace, stability and prosperity for the Great Lakes region,” he said.