In April 2021, ITSCI organised a technical session with local stakeholders in Malemba-Nkulu territory, Haut-Lomami province to evaluate the lockbox system for joint tag management. The system builds local stakeholder engagement and state services accountability by drawing together all responsible parties to collaboratively manage traceability materials. To increase transparency, each lockbox has several keys, held by different stakeholders. The session was an opportunity to better understand the impact of joint tag management. The SAEMAPE (Service d’assistance et d’encadrement des mines artisanales et de petit echelle), Divimines (Division des mines), the PMH (Police des mines et hydraucarbures), and several processors/exporters and cooperatives were part of the attendees.
Testimonies from the evaluation session speak to the positive effects of the collaborative approach the lockbox system fosters. An administrator from MMR processor/exporter noted that with the lockbox system, none of the stakeholders has a monopoly of control over vital materials for the traceability system. COMDEM cooperative’s representative noted that the lockbox approach has reinforced relations between different parties along the supply chain. The joint tag management system strengthens confidence between cooperatives and processors/exporters and improves due diligence practices in line with the OECD standards.
Currently, the lockbox system for joint tag management is a feature aspect of ITSCI implementation additionally in Maniema, North Kivu, and the greater Katanga region. The system is being rolled out in South Kivu and is expected to reduce traceability challenges.