CVCFG: ASGM Logistics in Eastern DRC Learning Brief

USAID’s Commercially Viable Conflict-Free Gold (CVCFG) Project, known locally as “Zahabu Safi” is a five-year project, implemented in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) by Global Communities and Levin Sources. The project is designed to build on recent successes achieved by donor-funded initiatives to export responsibly sourced gold to jewelry buyers in North America and Europe.

This learning brief is designed to deepen understanding of the logistical barriers and incentives when transporting, storing, and preparing to export gold from eastern DRC.  We have focused this report on the aspects of logistics most relevant to the aims of the CVCFG project, to ensure better decision-making as we move closer to supporting responsible gold exports. The brief provides a snapshot of the situation, correct as of the second half of 2020, and draws on the research, interviews and learning from the project’s due diligence partners who are present in eastern DRC.  At the end of the document, we draw conclusions about potential solutions for the barriers we have highlighted. These solutions will need greater development and may ultimately vary from supply chain to supply chain. This is an iterative process, so we have also set out proposed next steps for the project to develop the ideas further, with the input of the local stakeholders. We aim to test the potential solutions as the project starts to piece together end-to-end supply chains and begins to support responsible ASM gold exports from eastern DRC, learning and adapting as we go.  We will continue to share this learning.