The International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) has published an open letter (here) addressed to all ICGLR stakeholders, donors and international organisations emphasising their concerns over the impacts of the current market crisis on the 3T mineral business in central Africa, and the need for financial support from others besides the upstream industry sector. The ICGLR describes the effort that has been made by their organisation and its member states to implement the Regional Certification Mechanism (RCM) which has already achieved the issuance of ICGLR certificates on traceable exports and thanks the contribution of iTSCi and others to the progress made in the last 5 years. The letter goes on to highlight funding concerns for traceability and due diligence programmes which have been created by the fall in metal prices, and emphasises that any reversal of progress would lead to ‘deterioration of local livelihoods and national revenues’ and ‘revive illegal exploitation of natural resources’ in the region. The ICGLR concludes with a call on downstream industry, donors and all peacemakers to financially support the regional initiative and traceability and due diligence programmes. The ICGLR is the intergovernmental organization for 12 States, including the main countries of iTSCi implementation in DRC, Rwanda and Burundi which was created in order to address political instability and promote sustainable peace. This letter from ICGLR follows a similar call for assistance from upstream industry (here)