As part of the Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace (IcSP), the EU is funding the ‘Strengthening Governance of CAR’s artisanal diamond and gold mining sectors’ project to contribute to transparent and sustainable diamond and gold mining in the Central African Republic by supporting the government in its commitments under the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme.
Nevertheless, the bulk of production continues to be exported illegally. However, artisanal gold and diamond mining, the nation's second largest sector of employment, supports hundreds of thousands of people in most provinces of the country and has significant revenue potential for the State.
Reintegrating this traditional economic sector in the legal realm is therefore a major aspect of development and political stability.