Global Policy Forum

Natural resources often lie at the heart of wars and civil strife. Huge mining and resource companies, including giants like Exxon Mobil and Anglo American/DeBeers, do not hesitate to use force in pursuit of their corporate interests. There are many players in this bloody nexus of natural resources and conflict, including shadowy resource traders, smugglers, corrupt local officials, arms dealers, transport operators and mercenary companies. Increasing scarcity of resources, driven by rising world population and the spread of unsustainable consumption, further sharpen such conflicts. NGOs, investigative journalists and UN expert panels have revealed some of the players in these clandestine networks and spotlighted governments that give them comfort, in the North as well as the South. This page looks especially at diamonds, oil, water and timber, as well as the broader issues of natural resources in conflict.

Key Documents
UN reports and resolutions, as well as key NGO reports on the subject. These documents have helped raise awareness of linkage between natural resources and conflict, and catalyzed global action on the issue.

Diamonds
Information about "conflict diamonds," trade in diamonds that has fueled conflict in much of Sub-Saharan Africa. In Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Sierra Leone and Liberia, rebels have used the proceeds of illegal diamond sales to purchase weapons, deepening the intensity of conflicts.

Oil and Natural Gas
Oil extraction has often been the source of violent conflict, contrary to conventional wisdom that oil would foster prosperity and development. Links on this page illustrate how oil extraction has fostered military repression, human rights abuses by governments and TNCs, and international as well as civil conflict.

Water
Though water is a "renewable" resource, population growth and growing consumption per capita to puts pressure on world freshwater supplies. Water scarcity fosters communal conflict, and has important implications for interstate conflict as well, due to the transboundary flow of many waterways.

Timber
Revenue from timber has financed arms and fueled many conflicts. Also, displacement of indigenous populations by the logging industry has contributed to civil conflict.

Minerals
In addition to diamonds, the mining of cobalt, coltan, copper, and gold has fueled civil and interstate conflict. Mineral resources promote conflict by providing rebel groups with revenue to purchase arms, and by providing governments with the incentive and the resources to establish a repressive military presence in mineral producing regions.

General Articles, Analysis and Debate
General articles and analytical essays that help to clarify the concept of natural resource conflict.