On April 16, 2026, during the World Bank Spring Meetings, the Ivorian Minister of Mines, Petroleum and Energy, Mamadou Sangafowa-Coulibaly , made an urgent appeal to the international community. His objective: to establish rigorous global traceability for artisanal gold in order to clean up trade channels.

The urgent need for a coordinated global response

Addressing representatives from the G7, the World Gold Council, and major producing countries, the minister stressed that isolated efforts by individual states are no longer sufficient. He believes that the expansion of illegal gold mining requires an approach modeled on the Kimberley Process (used for conflict diamonds).

"We must prevent illegal gold from continuing to fuel the vulnerability of our communities," he stressed.

An economic and environmental scourge

The minister presented alarming figures on the impact of illegal gold mining:

1. In Africa: Approximately 435 tonnes of gold escape formal channels each year.
2. In Ivory Coast: The loss is estimated at 4,600 billion FCFA , with 142 tonnes of gold removed from official channels.

Beyond financial matters, the focus was on the environmental crisis . Mamadou Sangafowa-Coulibaly called for strict global regulation of mercury and cyanide . These chemical inputs, although banned, flood clandestine sites through parallel networks, causing lasting pollution of the soil and water.

The Ivorian strategy: Transform rather than repress

Ivory Coast is not content with simply denouncing the problem; it is proposing a paradigm shift. The country is focusing on structuring artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) to make it an engine of local development.

The key areas of national action:

1. Crackdown: More than 7,000 illegal sites already dismantled.
2. Supervision: Implementation of the Mining Code and the National Program for the Rationalization of Gold Panning.
3. Regional cooperation: Harmonization of mining policies within ECOWAS and WAEMU to curb cross-border flows.

An appeal to financial institutions

The minister concluded by requesting the World Bank 's support in building an international framework that brings together governments and the private sector. The goal is clear: to transform an often criminal activity into a sector that provides decent jobs and generates public revenue.