GOOD GOVERNANCE IN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

Early day motion 1597, tabled 15 March 2011 by Roger Williams (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 27 members.

That this House recognises the 10th anniversary of the first UN report on the Illegal Exploitation of Natural Resources and Other Forms of Wealth in Democratic Republic of Congo; notes the continuing militarisation of, and illegal control over, tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold mines by local armed groups as well as criminal elements in the Congolese army to fund their criminal activities; expresses its solidarity with the people of Congo, who have, for over 13 years, endured the evils of violence, war crimes, human rights violations, humanitarian crises, looting and rape; calls on the Rwandan government to ensure that its territory is not usedasa trading or transit ground for conflict minerals from Congo; and calls on the Government to encourage all British-based or -owned companies trading in minerals to observe diligence standards set out by the UN and OECD, push for EU legally binding legislation on corporate transparency in the extractive industries to empower people in developing countries that are consistently resource-rich but cash-poor with the information to challenge corruption in their own country and to consider imposing a travel ban and asset freeze on those named and shamed in UN Panel of Experts and Group Experts reports in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions nos. 1952, 1807, 1896 and 1771, and to do everyting possible to restore good governance to the Congo.

Signatures by party: Liberal Democrat 13, Labour 8, Social Democratic and Labour Party 2, Alliance 1, Conservative 1, DUP 1, Green 1.