CCID Urges UN to Ensure Transparency in Rwanda’s Mineral Trade and Calls for Ceasefire in DRC
The International Chamber of Commerce and Development (CCID) has urged the United Nations to enhance transparency in the transfer of raw materials from Rwanda.
Speaking at the 37th special session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva on February 7, 2025, CCID emphasized the need for greater oversight to prevent crimes associated with mineral exploitation in the region.
The organization stressed that improving transparency would facilitate legal action against those responsible for resource looting and related human rights violations.
“A concerted effort is needed to regulate the transfer of raw materials from the region. Crimes have been committed, and accountability must be enforced nationwide while ensuring the right to a fair trial,” a CCID representative stated.
CCID also called on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda to resume the Luanda peace process and condemned recent acts of looting, particularly targeting UN structures in Goma following escalations by the M23 rebel group.
“We demand that those responsible for looting UN and humanitarian agency infrastructure face legal consequences. An immediate ceasefire is essential to allow the Council to conduct investigations and prosecute those accountable for crimes and sexual violence committed since the onset of this crisis.
The CCID reaffirms its commitment to peace efforts under the Rwanda process and upholding territorial integrity,” the organization added.
The looting of World Food Programme warehouses in Goma, which contained critical food supplies, further highlights the urgency of the situation. CCID welcomed the UN’s special session on the DRC, urging swift action.
“We call for an immediate halt to human rights violations in eastern DRC, perpetrated by the Rwandan armed forces and their accomplices, the M23, who have deliberately plundered resources for the benefit of multinational corporations,” CCID stated.
