- Checked Against Delivery -
Thank you, Madam President.
And at the outset, I would like to warmly welcome you, your Excellency, and thank you and the Presidency of the Democratic Republic of the Congo for convening this timely debate.
The experience of the DRC indeed reminds us why the international community must ensure that natural wealth serves as a driver of prosperity - not a source of conflict and instability.
I also thank the Secretary-General for his briefing and the Director General of the WTO for her valuable insights.
I will make three points.
First, the link between natural resources, violence and instability is all too clear.
In the DRCarmed groups have for decades financed their activities through the illicit exploitation of minerals and the control of mining sites and trade routes, fuelling violence, instability and widespread human rights violations.
In Sudan, particularly in Darfur, gold has become a key source of financing for parties to the conflict, helping to sustain the war economy and prolong the violence, and as the Secretary General has mentioned, the European Union recently banned the import of gold from Sudan, for this very reason.
In West Africa and the Sahel, terrorist groups and other armed groups have increasingly exploited gold mining and other natural resources to expand their influence in areas where state presence is limited.
And beyond Africa, similar dynamics have been observed in Myanmar and Colombia, as we just heard from Her Excellency the Minister, and previously, in Afghanistan as well as in parts of Iraq and Syria.
In each of these countries, natural resources are used as a tool in the economy of war to gain and retain control over territory and populations and to finance armed activities. This is often accompanied by brutal repression tactics, including sexual and gender-based violence.
Denmark encourages this Council to make better use of the tools it already has at its disposal - including sanctions, accountability mechanisms, Panels of Experts and reporting mandates - to disrupt the illicit financial flows that sustain armed groups.
It is time to make the exploitation and weaponization of natural resources more costly than their responsible and peaceful management.
Second, Madam President,
We recognise that existing frameworks have grown increasingly complex.
What is needed, however, is stronger compliance and more diligent implementation.
We can strengthen responsible and transparent supply chains by supporting producer countries with technical assistance, traceability and due diligence rather than adding new layers of bureaucracy.
Denmark stands ready to work with all stakeholders to promote transparency, responsible natural resource governance, and sustainable development.
Third, Madam President,
There is no energy transition without critical minerals.
Every solar panel, every wind turbine and every modern battery for electric vehicles depends on minerals from a small number of producing countries.
These resources are fundamental for our collective ability to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement and net zero emissions by 2050 - as well as the broader ambitions of sustainable development through the 2030 Agenda.
The minerals powering the green transition must also generate local economic value, employment and inclusive economic development for the communities where they are extracted. It should be a win-win as the Director General of the WTO has reminded us.
This requires transparent governance and the meaningful participation of civil society and workers, with full respect for human rights.
In closing, Madam President,
Critical minerals are indispensable to our common future. But their extraction must never come at the expense of the peace, human rights and the security of local populations.
Let us ensure that natural resources become a source of prosperity for producing countries and communities - not a driver of conflict.
Denmark stands ready to work with all partners towards that goal.
Thank you.
