Ivory Coast, World Bank and World Gold Council Partner to Reform ASM Mining

The Ivory Coast has partnered with the World Bank and the World Gold Council to launch the Multistakeholder Partnership for Sustainable and Responsible Small-Scale Mining (MSPI) initiative.

The partnership aims to formalize artisanal operations, curb illicit gold trade and improve safety standards and environmental sustainability.

MSPI will foster cooperation on skills and infrastructure development, mine site improvements and expanded market access between small-scale miners and large-scale mining stakeholders.

Mamadou Sangafowa-Coulibaly, Minister of Mines, Petroleum and Energy of the Ivory Coast said the project will make small-scale mining “safer, more transparent, and a driver of development, growth, and job creation.”

The World Bank will support the integration of international best practices in gold production. The World Gold Council will lead efforts to establish model small-scale mines that comply with the London Bullion Market Association standards to ensure legal and traceable trade of gold.

“This is a truly innovative mechanism for bringing together large mining companies and small artisanal miners, providing opportunities for additional domestic resources to support development and create decent jobs for youth and women, ”Marie-Chantal Uwanyiligira, World Bank Division Director for the Ivory Coast, Benin, Guinea, and Togo, said in a statement.

The small-scale mining sector employs over half a million Ivorians while an estimated 40 tons of gold – worth more than $2 billion – was lost through illicit trade in 2022.