Global Witness works to break the links between natural resources, conflict and corruption.

Over the last ten years we have been successful in creating a growing international awareness that the global trade in natural resources has been a cause of massive human suffering and needs to be completely overhauled. Our work has led to concrete policy change and has resulted in sources of funding for brutal civil wars being cut off.

Our vision is of a world in which natural resources are managed in a way that promotes peaceful and sustainable development for all.

Key achievements:

• Global Witness’ campaign on conflict diamonds led directly to the establishment of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, an international agreement to prevent the trade in conflict diamonds.
• In West Africa, former Liberian president Charles Taylor used money earned through logging to fund wars across in Liberia and Sierra Leone. Global Witness campaigned for three years for the international community to recognise the link between logging and slaughter in West Africa. Our efforts led to UN sanctions on Liberian timber. Within six weeks of their enforcement, Taylor fled Liberia, bringing to a close 14 years of brutal conflict.