IGF General Meeting 2013

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Artisanal and Small-
Scale Mining Guidance
for Governments
Nicholas Garrett
1 November 2013
IGF General Meeting 2013

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CONTENTS
1 The past: ASM programmes since 1972
2 The present: Current programmes and practice on ASM
3 Persistent challenges: Enduring challenges in ASM approaches
4 The future: Recommendations and the Guidance

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THE PAST: ASM PROGRAMMES SINCE 1972
Technical
assistance State
sponsored
gold buying
programmes
Formalisation

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CURRENT PRACTICES: CHANGING APPROACHES
Governments have begun to focus on ASM more
consistently as a development issue, and as a
sustainable development issue.
Formalisation
Technical
assistance as
mercury-
reduction
State-
sponsored
gold buying
programmes

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CURRENT PRACTICES: CORE AGENDA DIVERTED
Donor leadership has driven governments to focus on mercury-
reduction and “conflict minerals” compliance rather than ASM
development.
The ASM development agenda has been
diverted over the last ten years.
Mercury use reduction and “conflict
minerals” have been more compelling
priorities.
National governments have often been
unable to focus on the core agenda.

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PERSISTENT CHALLENGES
Government
capacity
Regulation is easy to avoid, and costly
to adhere to; ASM grows faster than
designed government institutions.
Incentives
design
Little attention is paid to the incentives that
ASM operators face
The
transformation
fallacy
Practical obstacles prevent ASM from being
solved fast, a long term perspective is
needed and still missing
Commitment National governments have mixed interests
towards ASM reform.

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THE FUTURE: STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT
National governments and donors should lead a debate
about what roles other stakeholders have in ASM initiatives
ASM should be represented and involved as key
stakeholders, as does civil society.
LSM and Junior Mining companies have strategic reasons to
become involved, and complementary capacities to deploy
Certification schemes build on Fairtrade and Fairmined Gold
and expand the size of the market-based responses.

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THE FUTURE: IGF GUIDANCE FOR ASM
Many ASM project challenges concern project design and implementation
These challenges could be avoided with proper precautions and project planning
The Guidance will help national governments – with stakeholder support – to better
govern ASM.
The Guidance will present ways to mitigate negative ASM issues.
The Guidance will present ways to support and further improve the sustainable
development impact of ASM.

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THE FUTURE: IGF GUIDANCE FOR ASM
The Guidance will outline responses governments can deploy, offering model policy
processes.
The Guidance will inform how policy processes can be implemented most effectively
practical advice and step-by-step guidance.
The Guidance will advise how other stakeholders can be engaged, and what roles
they can play.
The Guidance is also a learning toolkit and will provide links to further resources,
programs and tools.

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GUIDANCE DEVELOPMENT PHASES
Phased process; not only include the technical development parts, but also
consultation.
Design Phase: Outline of Guidance structure and presentation of critical choices
about Guidance objectives, scope, content, structure and form.
Writing & Consultation Phase: 3 rounds of writing and consultation, each ending with
a workshop, with the client and external stakeholders.
Following the various work phases, we will present the Guidance at the next possible
IGF Meeting.
Time intensive, but consultative and iterative development process will result in a
better Guidance.

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Artisanal and
small-scale mining
Nicholas Garrett
nicholas@rcsglobal.com
www.rcsglobal.com