A workshop to evaluate the implementation of the recommendations on the fight against illegal and clandestine gold panning was held on Wednesday 18 October 2023 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. During the workshop, the organisers concluded that the current crackdown had been unsuccessful and proposed 39 measures, including a systematic and immediate halt to illegal and clandestine gold panning throughout Côte d’Ivoire.
Organised by the Union of Agricultural and Forestry Companies (Union des Entreprises du Monde Agricole et Forestier – UNEMAF) and agricultural, forestry and mining experts, this evaluation workshop was a springboard for the organisers to make recommendations as part of the fight against illegal and clandestine gold panning. According to the organisers and participants, the current repressive approach is not working. As evidence of this, they note the reconstruction of certain sites destroyed by illegal gold miners and their resettlement on these reconstructed sites.
During the workshop, the participants made 39 recommendations, including the systematic and immediate cessation of illegal and clandestine gold panning in the 31 regions of Côte d’Ivoire.
They also outlined the harmful consequences of illegal gold mining. They noted, among other things, insecurity, environmental degradation, deforestation, the illegal gold trade, famine, theft, rape, prostitution, drugs, violence, school drop-out rates, waterways out of use, soil degradation, tragedies caused by landslides and health problems.
Tiba Kassamse OUEDRAOGO
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