23.06.2023 “Illicit gold flows” - The BGR sector programme hosted a workshop in the event series “Responsible Gold”

The Sector Programme “Extractives and Development” of the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR (External link)), funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ (External link)), hosted a workshop on “Illicit Gold Flows” on May 9, 2023. 45 participants from the gold industry, civil society, academia, and development cooperation attended the workshop.

At the beginning of the workshop, Silvana Kröhn and Mauricio Pereyra from EPIZ Berlin e.V. presented teaching material on the topic of gold from small-scale mining that they are developing for vocational schools. The material is directed at job trainings related to the gold industry to inform students on sustainability criteria and socio-ecological risks along the gold supply chain. In their presentations, Yvan Schulz (Swissaid) and Christoph Wiedmer (Society for Threatened Peoples Switzerland) showed how (illegal) gold from Africa and the Amazon region reaches European markets. Afterwards, the participants worked in small groups to identify overarching challenges of (illegal) gold trade from mining areas to Europe. As possible solutions, the participants discussed, among other things, the need for a clearer definition of “recycled” gold and called for cross-border control authorities as well as cross-sectoral approaches to combat illegal gold trade. Hannah Brandstaetter (World Gold Council) presented purchase programmes of central banks in Mongolia, Ethiopia, Ecuador and the Philippines with which they aim to curb the illegal gold trade. The basic prerequisite for such programmes is the formalization of small-scale gold mine sites. However, problems exist, for example, with comprehensive formalization, a lack of trust in state institutions and access to buying points.

The next workshop will take place in November 2023. Participation is free of charge and open to all interested parties.

For more information, please contact Dr. Alexandra Bechtum (External link).