News

Conflict minerals

July 26, 2010 Edition 1

LONDON: Campaign group Global Witness said today it was launching legal action against the British government for allegedly failing to refer companies trading Congolese “conflict minerals” for UN sanctions.

The organisation said a number of British companies had traded in minerals – including tin and tungsten, which is used in electronics – controlled by armed groups fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

This is in defiance of UN sanctions introduced in 2008 and 2009, the organisation said.