Industry partners convened by the Dutch government today announced their intention to start a conflict-free tin sourcing program in South Kivu. The Conflict Free Tin Initiative aims to create demand for tin from a region whose economy has collapsed due to series of severe internal and cross-border conflicts, and recent legislation in the United States that created a de facto embargo. The Initiative introduces a tightly controlled conflict-free supply chain using the iTSCi procedures of traceability and due diligence as the fundamental basis. So far, Royal Philips Electronics, Tata Steel, Motorola Solutions, Research In Motion, Alpha, AIM Metals & Alloys, Malaysia Smelting Corporation (MSC) and Traxys are committed to the Initiative which welcomes participation from additional companies. ITRI, the iTSCi field advisor and capacity building NGO Pact, and other partners will implement the required procedures in co-operation with Government agents of the DRC Ministry of Mines.
The selected mine in South Kivu was the location of the very first pilot trials of the iTSCi programme back in 2010. After 2 years of embargo, ITRI is therefore especially delighted to be able to contribute to this very significant step towards bringing mining based communities in conflict free areas of the Kivu’s back into responsible international supply chains, offering them the opportunity for further development and a better economic future.