Combating Corruption in Natural Resource Extraction

Legal Tools to Combat Corruption in the Private Extraction of Natural Resources

In recent years, human rights and environmental groups have focused attention on massive corruption directly related to the exploitation of natural resources in Africa. From Angola to Cambodia to the Democratic Republic of Congo, the actions of private economic interests, operating in territories of enormous natural wealth but poor governance, often aided by the international banking system and public officials, have deprived states and their peoples of valuable revenues.

The Justice Initiative is exploring with legal practitioners, advocacy NGOs and others how to use existing legal tools — and develop new ones — to challenge natural-resource related corruption.

The Justice Initiative released a report assessing the availability of legal remedies for addressing corrupt practices in the natural resource industries. Legal Remedies for the Resource Curse is a digest of practical experience across a number of jurisdictions in using law to combat corruption.

Contact

Zia Haider Rahman: info@justiceinitiative.org