News

Pact's Yves Bawa nominated as leader against conflict minerals

March 14, 2016

Pact is pleased to announce that Yves Bawa has been nominated for this year’s Top 100 Conflict Mineral Influence Leaders list.

Bawa serves as Pact’s regional director in Africa’s Great Lakes region, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Burundi, where he has played a critical role in Pact’s efforts to assure conflict-free minerals and provide a safer, more secure livelihood for tens of thousands of artisanal miners.

A native of Congo, Bawa is Pact’s program manager for the iTSCi mineral traceability and due diligience system, overseeing all field operations that make conflict mineral assurance possible at more than 800 mine sites in the region. He has led projects to strengthen governance, security, social development and conflict reduction in mining.


Pact’s Senior Director of Mines to Markets, Karen Hayes, said, “Yves works tirelessly to make conflict-free minerals a reality. On any day he may be knee-deep in mud talking to miners about their right to work without force; facilitating negotiations between international actors; helping companies to understand their market obligations; or training government agents on how to manage their sector. His commitment to peace and development in the Great Lakes region is absolute. He cares deeply for the welfare of artisanal miners and genuinely believes in the power of responsible markets to deliver development. He is an inspirational leader.”

The annual list is issued by Assent Compliance, a compliance software and services firm. It includes individuals who have made significant contributions to conflict minerals compliance through their leadership and direct involvement in the management or execution of a conflict minerals program.

To learn more about the list or to vote through March 15, go here.

To learn more about Pact’s work in mining communities around the world, visit www.pactworld.org/mining