EU Statement – UN Security Council: Natural resource governance
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Chair,
I have the honour of delivering this statement on behalf of the EU and its Member States.
The Candidate Countries North Macedonia, Montenegro*, Serbia*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina* and Georgia, as well as Armenia, align themselves with this statement.
Thank you for convening this debate, following the Arria meeting last week. There, we all agreed that the illicit exploitation of natural resources continues to fuel armed conflicts, weaken state institutions, and undermine sustainable development, particularly in conflict-affected regions.
Sustainable peace in several conflict-torn regions of the world cannot be achieved without responsible resource governance. And for that, the participation of often neglected interlocutors – from women to Indigenous Peoples, from local communities to youth -- is key.
The European Union is strongly committed to preventing international trade in conflict minerals from intensifying or perpetuating conflicts and associated human rights abuses. The EU Conflict Minerals Regulation in force since 2021 aims to break the link between minerals trade and armed conflict by promoting responsible sourcing of tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold. The Regulation aligns with the OECD Due Diligence Guidance, requiring companies to identify and mitigate risks in their supply chains, such as human rights abuses or conflict financing. Unlike voluntary frameworks, the EU’s approach is legally binding, reinforcing accountability.
The EU further believes that producing countries should benefit more from their natural resources. This is the approach behind the EU's Raw Materials partnerships with partner countries.
Under its Global Gateway initiative, the EU is a leading supporter of the Kivu–Kinshasa Green Corridor, a project launched by President Tshisekedi that, by combining conservation, clean hydropower, and sustainable value chains, expands legal livelihoods for local communities and reduces the space for the illicit exploitation of natural resources that fuels armed groups.
The EU also remains firmly committed to advancing transparency, accountability and good governance across the extractive sector. As one of the leading donors to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), the EU supports the implementation of the EITI Standard, the leading global benchmark for transparency in the sector. Last year, the EU further increased its support to strengthen capacity-building and technical assistance for the implementation of the 2023 EITI Standard in Sub-Saharan Africa. Since 2016, the EU has also supported the World Bank’s multi-donor trust fund Extractives Global Programmatic Support, which helps resource-rich low- and middle-income countries harness their mineral wealth for sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development.
Chair,
In the context of a fragmented international framework, the relevance of UN Security Council tools such as Panels of Experts, sanctions regimes, and the UNSC endorsement of the Kimberley Process cannot be overestimated. Strengthening of these mechanisms and ensuring a greater coherence is essential. Let me highlight the recent strengthening of the European restrictive measures adopted on imports of Sudanese gold that has become a key source of revenue sustaining the conflict in Sudan. These are designed to curb sources of financing for the conflict and further increase pressure on those fuelling the war. The decision includes targeted exceptions on goods intended for humanitarian purposes, public health emergencies and disaster response. The measures are part of the EU's continued response to the conflict, which has caused an unprecedented humanitarian crisis and widespread violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law.
Chair,
Critical raw materials, including those considered to be conflict minerals, are crucial factors of sustainable development. They should be drivers of prosperity and not sources of conflicts, human rights violations and abuses. We should keep focus on this important issue, including by better applying the existing international framework, supporting responsible business conduct, and putting the rights of local producers in the centre of attention.
The EU reaffirms its commitment to support producing countries in their efforts.
Thank you.
- North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.