global witness

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Help us to continue to expose corruption and fight libel tourism & gagging orders.

Following the Sassou Nguesso court case Global Witness is launching the Tilt the Balance Appeal. Read more...

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01/11/2008 – Resource plunder still driving eastern Congo conflict

As the humanitarian crisis in eastern Democratic Republic Congo (DRC) escalates, Global Witness is calling for international peace efforts to urgently address the role the natural resource trade is playing in the conflict.

Read the full press release. Lire le communiqué de presse.

Find out more information on natural resources and conflict in eastern DRC here.

Pour plus d'informations sur les ressources naturelles et le conflit dans l'est de la RDC, cliquez ici.

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29/10/2008 - IMF and World Bank Need to Bolster Transparency Measures in the Extractive Industries

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank are falling short in fostering fundamental measures of transparency in the oil, gas, and mining industries, a report released today by the Bank Information Center and Global Witness found.

The assessment of IMF and World Bank engagement in 55 resource-rich countries revealed that while the institutions have made numerous commitments to strengthen transparency in the extractive industries in order to combat corruption, their application of these measures has been highly inconsistent and not comprehensive.

Read the report here and the press release here

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17/10/2008 - Commission derives credit for keeping forests out of the carbon market

Today, with the release of its ‘Communicationi on addressing the challenges of deforestation and forest degradation to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss,’ the European Commission put forest carbon trading on indefinite hold. The fact that the Commission has decided not to include forests in the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), for at least a decade, and then only after certain issues have been satisfactorily resolved, is a very welcome development.

Read the full press release.

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17/10/2008 - European Commission timber regulation fails to create offence

After prevaricating for over five years, the European Commission decided today not to make it illegal to import illegally harvested timber into Europe. The long-awaited proposal for a regulation, 'Laying down the obligations of operators who place timber and timber products on the market', instead adopts a systems-based approach.

Read the full press release.

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03/09/2008 Angolagate trial opens - Global Witness comment

Global Witness welcomes the start of the long awaited Angolagate trial taking place in Paris from October 6^th 2008. This long running judicial investigation covers a dark period in Angola's turbulent and troubled history and dissects in intimate detail the geopolitical machinations of various nation states in the post cold war period. It will show how Russian, American and French geopolitical interests tangoed with a morally blind international banking and oil trading system to set up the looting of the Angolan state - which continues to this day to the overall detriment of the long suffering Angolan population.

Read the full press release

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03/09/2008 ANGOLA: THREAT TO BAN HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP RAISES SERIOUS CONCERNS

INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS MUST TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS

A threat to ban a prominent human rights group in Angola, Africa's top oil producer, is raising serious concerns in the wake of recent elections.Civil society in Angola and internationally is calling on the Angolan government, the EU and other international bodies to protect human rights defenders in the country.

Read the full press release. Ver comunicado de imprensa em português.

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22/09/2008 - Côte d’Ivoire cocoa reform insufficient as exporters sidestep transparency

The Ivorian government’s plan to create a temporary single entity to administer its cocoa sector will not ensure transparency as long as cocoa exporters fail to publish what they pay the government and its institutions, Global Witness said today.

Read the full press release. Lire le communiqué de presse.

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10/09/2008 - Control of mines by warring parties threatens peace efforts in eastern Congo

The direct involvement of armed groups and the national army of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in tin and gold mining in the east of the country is putting peace efforts at risk, Global Witness said today.

Read the full press release. Lire le communiqué de presse.

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28/08/2008 - UK company Afrimex broke international guidelines, says British government

UK company Afrimex breached the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises by purchasing minerals from a war-torn region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the British government has found.

Read the full press release. Lire le communiqué de presse.

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05/08/08 SEC Rule Change Introduced in Senate Benefits Investors and U.S. Energy Security

Publish What You Pay United States applauds Senator Charles Schumer for introducing the Extractive Industries Transparency Disclosure Act (S. 3389), companion legislation to the bill of the same name in the House of Representatives. The EITD Act would require companies registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to publish their payments to foreign governments for oil, gas and minerals, which would reduce risks for investors, level the playing field for American companies and contribute to global efforts to fight corruption and reduce poverty and instability in oil-producing countries. This is a necessary first step toward improving America's energy security.

Read the full report

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Protect, Respect and Remedy: A Discussion of John Ruggie's Business & Human Rights Framework – Strategies for Moving Forward

On 23 May 2008 Global Witness and BIICL co-hosted a meeting in London to identify ways of minimizing human rights abuses caused by companies operating in volatile areas by moving from John Ruggie's policy framework and into practice. Situations where host governments are either unable or unwilling to assume their responsibilities are especially important to consider within the human rights and business debate. Often these are places where protections against human rights violations are weak and widespread repression and violence occurs. In this environment, companies face a greater risk of committing or exacerbating human rights violations.

Read the full report

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26/06/08 Congress Presses Oil Companies to Halt Secret Payments

Today the House Financial Services Committee is deliberating legislation that would enhance U.S. energy security and curb corruption in poor countries by casting light on payments made to foreign governments by oil, gas and mining companies.

Read the full press release.

Myth Busters

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13/06/08 Côte d'Ivoire cocoa indictments: key players escape charges

The Ivorian Attorney General's charging of senior cocoa sector officials is good news, but lets key players off the hook, said Global Witness today.

Read the full press release. Lire le communiqué de presse.

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10/06/08 Return of blocked oil money to Angola involves opaque deal with Swiss arms company

Civil society organisations today expressed serious concerns over plans by the Swiss Development Agency (DDC) to return millions blocked in Swiss banks to Angola, including for a demining project awarded untransparently to RUAG, a Swiss arms manufacturer which currently does not have the requisite capacity for demining. Action Place financière Suisse, the Berne Declaration and Global Witness called on the Swiss authorities to rethink their decision and institute a competitive bidding process for the demining project.

Read the full press release. Lire le communiqué de presse. Ver COMUNICADO DE IMPRENSA em português

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04/06/08 Closure of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Angola

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Luanda was closed at the end of May 2008.

Read the full declaration

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03/06/08 Côte d’Ivoire cocoa transparency move welcome

Last week, the Ivorian government published, for the first time, figures on the revenues generated by levies on the cocoa sector and what they were spent on. The information was for 2006-2008 and was released as a communication to the Council of Ministers. The government also released data on the energy sector.

Read the full press release. Lire le communiqué de presse.

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05/05/08 The Kilwa Appeal - A Travesty of Justice

The Kilwa trial, which opened before a military court in December 2006, concerned a massacre in October 2004 in which at least 73 civilians were killed by soldiers of the 62^nd Brigade of the Congolese Armed Forces, with logistical support from the Australian/Canadian mining company, Anvil Mining. Anvil Mining has stated that its transport and equipment were requisitioned and that it had no choice in the matter. Read the full briefing document.

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23/04/08 DR Congo: End the Horrific Suffering in Eastern Congo

63 international and Congolese human rights and aid groups are urging the United Nations and the international players that helped negotiate the Goma agreement to appoint a high level independent special advisor on human rights for eastern Congo to focus attention and ensure action on protecting civilians at risk, specifically women and girls threatened by sexual violence. It also urged the international players such as the African Union, European Union, and the United States to support the appointment politically and financially.

Read the full press release. Lire le communiqué de presse.

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23/04/08 DR Congo: Open letter to the Congolese Environment Minister on developments in the forest sector

Given the forthcoming close of the forest title conversion process in the DR Congo, there is a unique opportunity for the government to develop forest policy reforms based on transparency, accountability and the well-being of forest-dependent populations as well as the wider national and international communities. A group of Congolese and international NGOs are calling on the government, with the support of the international donor community, to significantly strengthen the forest title conversion process and to maintain and extend the May 2002 moratorium on new industrial logging titles to include a full moratorium on all industrial-scale logging, until certain criteria are met.

Read the full letter. Lire la lettre.

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03/04/08 Human rights defenders prevented from meeting victims of Kilwa massacre

ACIDH, ASADHO, Global Witness and RAID today condemned blatant tactics by government authorities in Katanga to prevent Congolese human rights defenders from pursuing their legitimate human rights work.In the latest series of obstructions in the search for justice for the victims of the 2004 Kilwa massacre, the Governor of Katanga province, Moïse Katumbi, and the provincial Minister of Interior, Dikanga Kazadi, prohibited a group of Congolese human rights defenders from flying to Kilwa on 1 April 2008. Read the full press release

Lire le communiqué de presse

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28/03/08 Rush to log Liberia’s forests will jeopardise the reform process

Under intense pressure from the timber industry – including many familiar faces from the past – the Forest Development Authority of Liberia has started to issue timber contracts. Yet key legislation on community rights is still in draft. International NGOs fear the rush to allow a timber trade with a poor track record of corruption and trampling on community rights raises the spectre of Liberia’s forests once again undermining stability in this fragile country. Read the full press release

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25/03/08 Publication of Congo mining contract review welcome; renegotiations should be fair and transparent

Congolese and international non-governmental organisations today welcomed the publication of the review of mining contracts by the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and called on the government to ensure that the renegotiation of contracts is conducted openly and fairly.

Read the full press release

25/03/08 Accueil favorable à la publication du rapport de revisitation des contrats miniers congolais; les renégociations se doivent d’être équitables et transparentes.

Des organisations non gouvernementales congolaises et internationales saluent aujourd’hui la publication de l’examen des contrats miniers par le gouvernement de la République démocratique du Congo (RDC) et demandent à ce dernier de veiller à ce que la renégociation des contrats se déroule ouvertement et de manière équitable.

Lire le communiqué de presse

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22/03/08 Global Witness condemns arrest of Congolese human rights activist

Global Witness today condemned the arrest of Congolese human rights activist Hubert Tshiswaka on 21 March 2008 and appealed to the government to stop intimidating members of civil society.

Read the full press release

22/03/08 Global Witness condamne l’arrestation d’un défenseur des droits de l’homme congolais

Global Witness a aujourd’hui condamné l’arrestation du défenseur des droits de l’homme congolais Hubert Tshiswaka qui a eu lieu le 21 mars 2008, et demandé instamment au gouvernement de cesser d’intimider les membres de la société civile.

Lire le communiqué de presse
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20/03/08 Un an après l’accord de Ouagadougou, les rebelles FN continuent de percevoir des taxes

Une mission de Global Witness en Côte d’Ivoire en février 2008 a constaté que le groupe des rebelles des Forces Nouvelles (FN) continue de percevoir des taxes sur le cacao et les diamants, malgré le processus en cours de réunification du pays.

Read the full press release / Lire le communiqué de presse

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11/03/08 Dutch Court of Appeal finds insufficient evidence to convict conflict timber trader

On 10^th March 2008, the Court of Appeal in The Hague cleared Guus Van Kouwenhoven, a "member of [Charles] Taylor's Inner Circle," of breaking the United Nations arms embargo enforced against Liberia. Global Witness is extremely disappointed by the appeal court's decision. "The barbaric regime of Charles Taylor was financed and maintained by the revenues generated from the timber trade, in which Guus Van Kouwenhoven was the biggest player. This decision is a sad day for peace and justice in Liberia and for the ending of impunity," said Alex Yearsley of Global Witness.

Read the full press release

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06/03/08 “MERCHANT OF DEATH” ARRESTED IN THAILAND

The arrest of Victor Bout in Thailand, who has been wanted for years by a number of countries for his role in illegally supplying weapons to conflicts in Africa, Asia and South America, has finally brought an end to the career of the Merchant of Death.

Read the full press release

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18/02/08 Congo Mining Contract Review: Fast Track or False Trail?

DRC Government needs to clarify review process to restore trust.
The Congolese government’s ‘fast track solution’ to its mining contract review may turn out to be a false trail unless it addresses civil society concerns, warns a coalition of Congolese and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) today

Read for the full press release

Pour lire le communiqué de presse en français, cliquez ici

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05/02/08 Cambodian Embassy in London calls for Regime Change at Global Witness (again)

Following the news that the U.S. government has endorsed travel sanctions on top officials named in Global Witness’ latest report on illegal logging and associated high level corruption in Cambodia, the Cambodian Embassy in London has issued a press release calling for the organisation’s donors to devise an international regulatory framework for Global Witness’ work. Echoing calls made in an August '07 press release the Cambodian Embassy has once again demanded a change in Global Witness' leadership.

Read the February '08 press release

Read the August '07 press release

Read our full response

Read Cambodia's Family Trees report

Find out more about Global Witness' work in Cambodia

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04/02/08 NGOs fear that DRC mining contract review process has been hijacked

At the start of the Mining INDABA conference in Cape Town, an international coalition of non-governmental organizations warns that the DRC’s mining contract review process has been hijacked. NGOs say that it is increasingly apparent that new deals are being struck behind closed doors despite the lack of completion or transparency in the review process. The NGOs cite the announcement on 28th January that rights to two mining concessions previously held by the Katanga Mining Company have been transferred to China’s Sinohydro Corporation and the China Railway Engineering Corporation as part of the deal for the $5 billion loan from China’s Exim Bank. NGOs would like the DRC Government to explain when and how this decision was reached.

Read the full press release

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31/01/08 France must re-open probe into alleged graft by African leaders

A French probe into alleged possession of misappropriated assets by several African Presidents has been shut down, despite uncovering tens of millions of dollars worth of luxury properties and cars, and dozens of bank accounts belonging to the rulers, their family members and close associates.

Read the full press release

Pour lire le communiqué de presse en français, cliquez ici

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28/01/08 Power struggle and illegal logging threaten Sierra Leone’s remaining forests

Whilst illegal loggers are threatening Sierra Leone’s few remaining forests, including the Outamba-Kilimi National Park, a turf war is being waged between key government departments tasked with tackling such issues. Global Witness is calling on new President Ernest Bai Koroma to bring much needed direction and law enforcement to Sierra Leone’s forest sector in order to prevent further destruction.

Read the full Press Release

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22/01/08 U.S. move to ban top Cambodian officials exposes failure of Europe, Australia and Japan to get tough on corruption

Officials involved in natural resource related corruption from other countries may also be banned

Anti-corruption NGO Global Witness today welcomed the news that the United States government has endorsed travel sanctions on top Cambodian officials, and called on other countries to follow suit. Despite giving large amounts of development aid to Cambodia, other countries in Europe, such as the UK, France and Germany, as well as Japan and Australia, have failed to take tough action in response to reports of high-level institutional corruption in Cambodia.

Read the press release