Fair and sustainable extractives
Many of the poorest countries in the world are rich in natural resources which, if properly managed, would bring prosperity and stability. How access to natural resources is regulated, how contracts are negotiated, and how economic benefits are managed are important factors in the struggle against poverty and conflict. At national and international levels, measures and standards have been developed for fair and sustainable exploitation of resources. But their development for application in the mining communities is far from where it should be.
Cordaid, traditionally rooted at the local level, can connect mining communities with national and international initiatives. Cordaid wants to create space for civil society to engage in dialogue with governments, international institutions and local and multinational companies. Cordaid facilitates these multi-stakeholder dialogues in meeting internationally-accepted legal and technical standards and mechanisms for settling disputes. It is not only in the interest of civil society, but also those of mining companies and governments, to strengthen the capacities of civil-society organisations. From a more equal position, mining communities can better negotiate, feel better respected and be less prone to resort to the ultimate form of resistance: violent uprising. The ultimate goal of this effort is to arrive at agreements aimed at sustainable development of mining communities, agreed and established between governments, mining companies and communities.
Cordaid currently works on this issue in Sudan, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, north-eastern India, Colombia and Guatemala.
