Musanze, April 17, 2024 – The International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) is holding its 24th Meeting of the ICGLR Audit Committee in Musanze District, taking place from April 16 to 19, 2024. The meeting focuses on key areas such as audit methodology and tools, training on audit report review, audit quality assurance processes, and reviewing applications for auditor accreditation.

The ICGLR Audit Committee (AC) functions as a tripartite forum that manages the third-party audit process for minerals in the region. This committee plays a vital role in preventing the trade of conflict minerals within the Great Lakes Region.

ICGLR member states established the ICGLR Regional Certification Mechanism (RCM) to address the concern of conflict minerals. The RCM functions as a system designed to ensure mineral supply chains are not financing armed groups or negative forces involved in illegal activities and serious human rights abuses within or between ICGLR member states.

The 24th Meeting of the ICGLR Audit Committee provides a platform for participants to engage in discussions on the committee's key functions. These functions include coordinating and monitoring the implementation of the ICGLR third-party audit system in member states. The committee also plays a critical role in overseeing the existing RCM standards and procedures, proposing adjustments as the systems evolve.

The ICGLR Audit Committee coordinates and monitors the ICGLR third-party audit system's implementation in member states. It also supervises the existing RCM standards and procedures, proposing adjustments as necessary.

In his remarks, Mr. Ham MUNGYEREZA, the representative of the ICGLR Executive Secretary, commended the progress made on implementing third-party audits within the region. He highlighted that the Audit Committee has successfully completed nine third-party audits to date and is currently conducting twenty more audits in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and two in Burundi. This progress signifies a significant achievement towards strengthening the regional certification mechanism.

In his opening address of the 24^th Ordinary Meeting of the ICGLR Audit Committee, Mr. John Kanyangira pointed out that the Government of Rwanda is fully committed to the implementation of the Regional Initiative. Rwanda was the second ICGLR member state to launch the ICGLR Certificate on mineral exports. To this end, RMB has consequently hired and deployed inspectors in all districts to coordinate mine site inspections across the country.

“Rwanda is also implementing Chain of Custody systems in all mine sites in Rwanda. Our experience and lessons learned in the implementation of paper-based mineral tracking systems have helped us to move a step further by introducing digital and blocked technology, ” John Kanyangira.

As of last year, 16 ICGLR Third Party Audits were conducted and nearly all the audited exporting entities were given a green status. During the audits, there were a few who got a yellow status. These are currently being monitored to ensure that all the minor observed flaws are rectified and addressed within the required period as per the Regional Certification Mechanism requirements.