The American NGO “The Sentry” calls on the DRC government to harmonize taxes on Gold exports
The American NGO “The Sentry” has just addressed, during this month of February, a plea to African countries in particular to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), relating to the harmonization of taxes on the export of Gold, in order to fight against the smuggling of these minerals from conflict zones.
The recommendations formulated by this NGO are part of the fight against the trafficking of gold from the countries of Central and East Africa, to the Middle East, Europe and the USA, which expose electronics, jewelry, automotive and financial services companies to the illicit purchase of these minerals.
“The Sentry” calls for collaboration between on the one hand, the State Department and the European Union (EU) with, on the other hand, the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) and the governments of the countries African countries, in this case the DRC, in order to reduce smuggling and facilitate the growth of the conflict-free gold trade.
This American NGO also recommends that governments, mining industries and banks promote the formalization of responsible and conflict-free trade as well as support artisanal miners by applying the “CRAFT” code which is a standard to improve conditions. in artisanal mining in accordance with international standards and due diligence.
The Sentry calls on United Nations Security Council to sanction
“The Sentry” calls, moreover, the Security Council of the United Nations and the EU to establish the important consequences by sanctions, with regard to the beneficiaries and companies refining and marketing the gold coming from these zones. of conflicts.
The same source specifies, however, that beyond the improvements recorded through international regularization, standards for due diligence as well as industry controls, several factors hamper sustainable solutions to solve this problem and constitute a new challenge for governments and industries.
These obstacles include, among others, weak and poorly enforced policies in Dubai, which is one of the world’s gold hubs where this mineral lands, as well as unbalanced taxes on the export of gold which encourage smuggling between neighboring countries. , especially Uganda which has low taxes compared to the DRC.
It is also about the lack of financing of responsible and conflict-free mines in these African countries, which expose mining cooperatives to illicit actors by providing them with pre-financing.
“The Sentry” is an investigative and policy team that tracks dirty money linked to African war criminals and transnational war profiteers and seeks to exclude those who benefit from the violence of the international financial system. By disrupting the cost-benefit calculations of those who hijack governments for personal gain. It seeks to counter the main drivers of the conflict and to create a new lever for peace, human rights and good governance. The Sentry is made up of financial investigators, international human rights lawyers and regional experts, as well as former law enforcement officers, intelligence officers, policymakers, journalists from investigation and banking professionals.Co-founded by George Clooney and John Prendergast, The Sentry is a strategic partner of the Clooney Foundation for Justice.
