Rather than using their wealth wisely as a building block for development, countries rich in natural-resources, such as oil, gas, timber or minerals, frequently end up blighted by inequality and bad governance. In spite of increasing international recognition of this phenomenon – often referred to as ‘the resource curse’ – governments, multilateral institutions and companies have all failed to do enough to tackle it. In fact, they are often part of the problem.

Global Witness’s work is cross cutting and multi-dimensional. Our international campaigns operate at the nexus of development, the environment and trade. We are motivated by a desire to tackle the underlying causes of conflict and poverty and to end the impunity of individuals, companies and governments that exploit natural resources for their own benefit at the expense of their people and the environment. From undercover investigations, to high level lobby meetings, we aim to engage on every level where we might make a difference or find out something that will help us bring about change.

Global Witness refuses to accept a status quo where a powerful elite manipulate and break the rules for their own benefit. We do not want to live in a world where the privileged offspring of an African dictator can buy a luxury yacht with stolen oil money while the country’s citizens live in poverty. We don’t condone a system where seams of minerals in the ground represent extreme riches for the few and a cause of conflict and poverty for the many. And we will not pardon the selective myopia of companies that make millions from trading in diamonds, oil or timber but disgregard the impact of that trade on ordinary civilians.