Report | Policy Note

Policy Note Insecurity in Burkina Faso – beyond conflict minerals: The complex links between artisanal gold mining and violence

Policy note by Cristiano Lanzano, senior researcher at NAI, Sabine Luning, associate professor at Leiden University and Alizèta Ouédraogo, national coordinator at the Artisanal Gold Council (AGC) of Burkina Faso.

Author

Sabine Luning, Cristiano Lanzano, Alizèta Ouédraogo

Date

21 September 2021

Links

Policy Note

As artisanal gold mining in Burkina Faso has increased in recent years, so have violent attacks by non-state armed groups. The assumption that there is a natural causal link between the two is, however, too simplistic. The escalating violence should rather be seen as a result of long-term trends, such as state disengagement, a growing dependence on gold and the gradual privatisation of security. To curb the violence, we recommend that policy makers avoid a repressive approach to artisanal mining and rethink the governance of the sector, in consultation with miners and rural communities.

Lanzano, C., Luning, S., & Ouédraogo, A. (2021). Insecurity in Burkina Faso–beyond conflict minerals: the complex links between artisanal gold mining and violence. NAI Policy Brief.