Activity Report 2007 IPIS Vzw

7/31/2019 Activity Report 2007 IPIS Vzw

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www.ipisresearch.beActivity Report

From the Chair 3

From the director 5

Mission 7

Research method 8

Activity Report 9Theme Natural Resources 9

Theme Arms Trade 15

Theme Corporate Social Responsability 21

Library 26

IPIS press coverage 28

Finances 29

Assignments 2000-2006 30

IPIS team 32

Contents


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From the chair

Antwerp, April 2008

2007 has, again, been a very active year for IPIS. It was also good to see that

our efforts in the eld of management have borne fruit. Within the framework of anew programme 2008-2010, we have, along with an external consultant, carriedout a thorough strategical exercise which will serve as a basis for our functioningduring the coming years. We adapted our mission and vision, modernised thelibrary, changed the face and structure of the website and sharpened our themati-

cal and geographical prole. These efforts were rewarded with a positive reportfrom PriceWaterhouseCoopers, which subjected all Belgian NGOs to a screen-ing, and with a positive advice from the Belgian Development Cooperation on ournew three-year programme.

Within the new and distinct delineation of our eld of action the study of natu-ral resources, arms trade and corporate social responsibility IPIS carried outa wide range of projects. Together they reect how the clear choice for its nicheenables IPIS to broaden its expertise and build up a strong institutional memory.

Concerning the theme natural resources, we carried out three extensive studies,two for Belgian and Swedish NGOs and one with nancial support from the Eu-ropean Union. For the NGOs, these pertained to technical and nancial dossierson major mining projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo. With this informa-tion at hand they could deploy their campaigning and lobbying activities. With EUfunds, we continued a project in which we make use of cartographic material toprovide analyses on the motives of warring parties. In two case studies, basedon eld research in the DRC, we shed light on the situation in Katanga and theKivus.

For the International Secretariat of Amnesty International, IPIS produced several

reports on arms transfers to and in African countries, a.o. Sudan. This informa-tion feeds the international ControlArms campaign led by Amnesty and Oxfam.Besides that, IPIS performed an extensive study for an international consultancygroup. Aim was to draw up a policy guiding dossier for the EC related to strate-gies to curb the proliferation of arms on the African continent.


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IPIS is an active member of a group of NGOs working on corporate social respon-sibility, headed by the umbrella organisation 11.11.11. The group requested aprobing dossier on export credit agencies and their environmental and social poli-cies. The portfolio of the Belgian Ducroire Service contains an important amountof projects in Africa, which proves that such agencies can have a signicant de-velopmental relevance. Furthermore, IPIS, with funding from the City of Antwerp,drew up a syllabus for companies that do business with African countries. In spring2008, we will teach it to an audience of diamond dealers with the aim of assistingthem in integrating human rights in their companys policies.

Finally a word of thanks to all members of the board and the assembly and, ofcourse, to the staff of IPIS for a successful 2007.

Wivina Demeester-De Meyer

From the chair


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From the director

In March 2007, the Belgian Foreign Affairs Ministry organised a conference ongood governance and corruption. Among the attendants were a good number of

African leaders. One of them, the then recently elected President of Liberia, MrsEllen Johnson-Sirleaf, caused quite a stir when the issue of corrupt African elitescame on the table. All well, she countered, but it is your banks that warmly wel-come the fortunes of the Charles Taylors of this world. She was widely applaudedby her African colleagues. The impression in the room was that of a new Africaspeaking. An Africa that no longer accepts to be lectured by the West.

Among the reasons for this new assertiveness is the growing economic inuence

on the African continent of emerging economies such as Brazil, India, and, fore-mostly, China. In a context of soaring commodity prices the bargaining position ofresource-rich African nations increases and, as a consequence, the grip of theirtraditional trading partners loosens. The latter so far have mainly responded bydemonising their emerging competitors. But what can the West base its moralauthority upon? On its nancial system that allows companies, through scaltechniques, to yearly drain away an estimated minimum of US $ 500 billion fromdeveloping countries? Or on the unbalanced contracts our greedy companiessecure in the extractive sectors?

Also in that eld Africas growing self-consciousness makes itself felt. IPIS closelyfollows the trend of the political class and civil society claiming a fair share ofnatural resource revenue. Since a few years, a wave of renegotiations of impor-tant contracts oods across the continent. In Guinea-Conakry the governmentstruggles over deals struck in the past concerning the countrys enormous baux-ite reserves. The Nigerian government targets the oil companies. In Tanzaniathe hot issue is gold exploitation, in Zambia copper and cobalt production and inDRC the bone of contention is the wide range of minerals dug in its completelydegenerated mining environment. Our researchers currently work on a reportthat places Africas natural resources in a global perspective. In the dossier, theabove-mentioned trend will receive special attention.

In 2007, again every subregion in Sub-Saharan African reached the news be-cause of violent conict. Where in West Africa countries like Liberia, Sierra Leoneand Ivory Coast slowly recover from the tragedies they have witnessed, localconicts ared up in the Niger delta, Mali and Niger. The rebels grievances arepartly related to the exploitation of oil and uranium. In the Horn, the border conictbetween Ethiopia and Eritrea remains unresolved, in Somalia the worst humani-tarian catastrophe is taking place, according to the UNs special envoy to thatcountry, and the otherwise peaceful Kenya was struck by an upsurge of political


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violence. The tragedy in oil-rich Sudan spreads to neighbouring Chad and theCentral African Republic. In Eastern Congo the civilian population remains thevictim of atrocities committed by all warring parties, and recent elections in Zim-babwe threaten to result in a bloody power struggle.

These catastrophes, which have a devastating impact on the lives of millions ofpeople, are also made possible by the proliferation of small arms and light weap-ons. In the framework of the international ControlArms campaign, for instance,IPIS continues to perform case studies concerning arms trafcking to and in Af-rica.

With regard to our theme corporate social responsibility we see that the trendof the proliferation of codes of conduct within the corporate world continues. Also

governments become more and more engaged in this process: on the one hand,they stimulate companies to set up systems of self-regulation and to harmonisethem; on the other hand, governments look into their own bosom and impose sus-tainability standards upon themselves. The Flemish region, for instance, foundeda CSR knowledge centre and the Federal government drew up a CSR actionplan. Such initiatives, in their turn, echo numerous steps taken by multilateralactors such as the OECD, the EU, the UN etcetera. IPIS considers it its task tomaintain a clear overview of these developments and to check to what extent the

reality on paper translates itself into practice. It does indeed remain so that theNGO community in general strives for binding regulations and that this creates aneed for studies on which they can base their campaigning and lobbying activi-ties. In doing this, we always pay particular attention to Sub-Saharan Africa.

Didier Verbruggen

From the director


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Mission

IPIS is a research centre that gathers, structures, assimilates and processes in-formation into training modules, workshops, lectures, briengs, dossiers and re-ports. Our primary target group are governmental, non-governmental and inter-governmental development actors, as well as private corporations and law makingbodies. Through channels like the media, the academic world and think tanks, ourinformation also reaches a wider range of stakeholders. In the largest sense, ourtarget group consists of all individuals and organisations that are committed topeace, human rights and development in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Our action research focuses on facts and gures rather than on theoretical knowl-

edge, because we wish to offer practical solutions workable policy recommen-dations, training, capacity enhancing workshops to our primary target group,after the diagnostic research phase.

Our research activities concentrate on three core themes, around which we havebuilt up a unique, eld-based expertise and network over the last 25 years.

We shed light on facts related to the opaque international arms trade with andin our region of focus. The analysis of these data offers insights into the conse-quences of arms ows on conict and underdevelopment, and recommendationsto prevent the proliferation of arms in Sub-Saharan Africa.

We carry out in-depth research into the exploitation of natural resources and putinto perspective issues such as the redistribution of rents, poor governance and

corruption, the nancing of conicts and corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Our core theme CSR deals with the role of the private sector in our focus region.In the course of many years we have witnessed the potential of private companiesto create wealth and promote peace, but also conict and inequality. Our CSRresearch focuses on all aspects of sustainable development, respect for humanrights, and the implementation of self-regulatory and legal frameworks. At the

request of our clients we apply our CSR expertise in the development of method-ologies which can also be employed outside our region of focus.


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Research method

The nature of IPIS research stands midway between a journalistic and an aca-demic approach. With journalism we share a strong focus on the factual, as op-posed to the rather theoretical line of approach of academic research. However,IPIS goes deeper and more thoroughly into its themes of research than is usualwithin the journalistic profession. By doing so, we come near to investigative jour-nalism and its digging, extending to sources outside the public domain.

Our gathering of information is a permanent activity and is done through con-sulting sources on the internet, studying academic and journalistic publications,analysing condential documents, eldwork and interviews within an extensivenetwork of contacts built up over many years. That data stream is processed byour researchers and forms the basis of the research projects that we carry out forexternal clients.

Depending on our clients requirements, IPIS output consists of publishable re-ports or dossiers that are only intended for the client. In the latter case, it can be,

for instance, a dossier serving as the basis of an NGO campaign, or one for apublic authority to map out its policy options.

The analyses we provide in our dossiers are always accompanied by workablerecommendations that have been submitted for review by legal and technical

experts and by policy makers. These recommendations are addressed to all thestakeholders involved in the research topic. Besides dossiers and reports, wealso compile courses, training modules, and give workshops and lectures.

IPIS often deals with sensitive information and in handling this we pursue de-ontological principles such as reliability, critical sense, impartiality and check &double-check.


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www.ipisresearch.beActivity Report Theme

Natural Resources

Study into nancial aspects of large miningprojects in Katanga

Impact:

On the basis of this study and of furtherresearch work by IPIS, Broederlijk Delen,11.11.11 and the British NGO RAIDprepared a memorandum with an analysisand recommendations regarding the Con-golese mining sector. That memorandum,together with an appeal to stakeholdersat policy level, was launched at a press

conference in Brussels in March 2007.Afterwards, it was explained at a publichearing in the Belgian Senate, once againby a representative of both BroederlijkDelen and IPIS. Meanwhile, more than ahundred Belgian, Congolese and interna-tional NGOs have signed the appeal. Ourclients will continue their campaign at thecoming World Banks Spring Meetings inWashington. In the DRC itself, an inter-ministerial commission was established in

April 2007 to revisit the numerous miningcontracts. In April 2008 that exercise wasnot nished yet.

Description:

This desktop study ran over aperiod of two months and was

an extension of a researchproject in 2006. IPIS compileda nancial technical dossieron three important private-public joint ventures in thecopper sector of Katanga. Wecollected and analysed press

articles, stock exchange l-ings, various internet sources

and unpublished documents(contracts and agreements,feasibility studies, audits,

technical reports etc.). Theresulting report gave an

overview of the shareholder

structure of the companiesinvolved, the individual actors

behind that structure, the -nancing of projects, the returnfor the investors and that for

the DRC.

Commissioned by:

The Belgian NGO Broeder-lijk Delen and the umbrellaorganisation of Flemish NGOs11.11.11.

Output:

Unpublished dossier.

The Ruashi mine at Lubumbashi is being prepared for industrial exploitation (photo: IPIS)


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Study concerning the visualisation of conict

motives on geographical maps

Description:

IPIS developed an interdisciplin-ary method for the mapping ofconict motives. This instrument

for analysis makes use of GISsoftware and consists of geographi-cal maps visualising economic, ethno-political, religious and other conict drivers.

The aim is to compare these maps to a second set ofmaps showing troop movements and concentrations,violent incidents, territorial claims of parties in conictetc. Every set of maps is accompanied by a narrativereport.

This project will continue until September 2009. Therst case study was worked out after a eld studyby two IPIS researchers in the province of Katangain the DRCongo in spring 2007. For the Dutch NGONiza we provide trimestrial updates of the Katangastudy. The necessary input for it is delivered by 4Congolese NGOs. At the end of 2007, we also pre-pared on the eld a new case study on the conict inthe Kivu provinces.

Financed by:

2006-2007: FOD Buitenlandse Zaken Belgi2007-2009: Europese UnieUpdates Katanga: Nederlands Instituut voorZuidelijk Afrika (Niza)

Output:

Maps +narrative

reports +

meth-odological

manual can befound at:http://www.ipisresearch.be/mapping.php

Impact:

IPIS received very posi-tive feedback from otherresearch institutes, do-mestic, foreign and Con-golese NGOs, Belgiandiplomats and MONUC.Nevertheless, time andagain responses indicate

that it is necessary to

deliver regular updates

to use the cartographic

material optimally.For the province of

Katanga we suc-ceeded in ndingnances, for theupdates of the

Kivu maps weare still looking forextra nancing.

Mine workers digging in the Sankuru river (photo: IPIS/Niza)

Theme

Natural Resources


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Natural Resources

Study concerning the Tenke Fungurumemining project in the DRCongo

Output:

Report Risky Business:The Lundin Groupsinvolvement in The

Tenke Fungurume Min-ing Project in the Demo-cratic Republic of Congo,published February 2008,

55 p.

http://www.ipisresearch.be/natural-resources.php

Impact:

The Tenke Fungurumemining project has impor-tant Swedish sharehold-ers, namely Lundin Miningand a number of pensionfunds. Consequently,the report received quitesome media attentionin Sweden. Our clientsconsulted with several

investors who announced

that, together with Lundinand Freeport McMoran,they will look for solu-tions to improve thesituation at the

mining site.

Description:

This project was started in September 2007. Theobjective was to get a look at the role the Swedishnancial Lundin group played in this dossier, also

through eld research. Already in 1996 Lundinobtained mining rights for the gigantic copper andcobalt concession of Tenke Fungurume in Ka-tanga. Almost ten years later, the American coppergiant Phelps Dodge bought itself into the private-public joint venture with Lundin and the Congolesestate-owned company Gcamines. New negotia-tions followed, the share of Gcamines decreasedto 17,5% and Phelps Dodge merged with the

American company Freeport McMoRan to be-

come the worlds largest copper group.

Our research aimed, among other things, at theunclear circumstances under which the succes-sive deals came about. Furthermore, we askedquestions on the spot about the implementation ofthe social impact plan and the fact that, more thanten years after the signing of the rst joint venturecontract, not one kilo of copper or cobalt has beenproduced at the site.

Commissioned by:

The Swedish NGOs Swedwatchand Diakonia.

At the concession of Fungurume (photo: IPIS)


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Natural Resources

Lectures

Lecture commissioned by Households in Conict Network (HiCN), Pre-

sentation of new projects: Mapping Conict Motivations.

Event: Second Annual Workshop, Households in Conict Network. The Unitof Analysis and the Micro-Level Dynamics of Violent Conict.Organised by: Households in Conict Network (HiCN), the Institute of Devel-opment Studies at Sussex, the German Institute for Economic Research in

Berlin and the University of Antwerp.Location, date: UA Antwerp (20/01/2007).

Lecture commissioned by NGO UCOS Strijd om grondstoffen en gender

in sub-Sahara Afrika.

Event: third peace conference Grondstoffen en conict.Organised by: Attac-Vlaanderen, CATAPA, Christenen voor het Socialisme,Imavo, KP, LEF, Masereelfonds, Oxfam-Solidariteit, SAP/Socialisme zonderGrenzen, UCOS, Uilekot Herzele, Vonk, Vrede.Location, date: Brussels, 10/02/2007.

Lecture commissioned by Broederlijk Delen and 11.11.11 A fair share forthe Congo

Event: press conference A fair share for the Congo.Organised by: Broederlijk Delen, 11.11.11.Location, date: 13/03/2007.

Lecture commissioned by Broederlijk Delen and 11.11.11 Financieel-econ-

omische aspecten van drie grote privaat-publieke mijnbouwprojecten in de

DRC.

Event: hearing De bescherming van natuurlijke rijkdommen in het Zuiden.

Organised by: Special commission globalisation.Location, date: Belgian Senate, 19/03/2007.

Lecture commissioned by Broederlijk Delen and 11.11.11 Une part equi-

table pour le Congo.

Event: Seminar La construction conomique et sociale au Congo.Organised by: CNCD.Location, date: ULB Brussels, 06/04/2007.

Digger working in the Bas-Congo diamond mine in East Kasa (photo: IPIS/NiZA)


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Natural Resources

Presentation of results Mapping Interests in Conict areas: Katanga.

Event: Press conference.Organised by: IPIS.Location, date: caf de Fiennes Brussels, 19/06/2007

Chairmanship of a session at a conference.

Event: Conference Responsabilisering van bedrijven in conictregios enlanden met een zwakke overheid.Organised by: University of Antwerp Institute of Development Policy andManagement.Location, date: Vredescentrum Antwerp, 26/10/2007

Lecture commissioned by the University of Wroclaw The DRC, a geological

scandal.

Event: Resource Curse in Africa: From Fatal to Fair Transactions.Organised by: University of Wroclaw.

Location, date: Wroclaw (Poland), 10/09/2007.

Lecture commissioned by NGO Vodo and CNCD-11.11.11 Natuurlijke Rijk-

dommen en Coherentie: case van DRCongo.

Event: Conference Beleidscoherentie in het Noorden voor DuurzameOntwikkeling in het Zuiden.Organised by: VODO, CNCD-11.11.11.Location, date: Brussels, 4/12/2007.

Lectures

Brick factory in Fungurume (photo: IPIS)


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Lecture commissioned by NGO BBO Veiligheid en Grondstoffen in DRCongo.

Event: Workshop Grote Merenbeleid.Organised by: Beleidsbenvloeding Ontwikkelingssamenwerking (BBO).Location, date: The Hague, 13/12/2007.

Raf Custers: Congo blijft onder buitenlandse druk. In: Uitpers (on-line), No. 90, 9thvol., October 2007. http://www.uitpers.be/artikel_view.php?id=1791

Spittaels Steven: In de kijker: Het Belgische beleid ten aanzien van de mijnbouwprob-lematiek in Congo in het licht van haar voorzitterschap van de Veiligheidsraad. In:Wereldbeeld: tijdschrift van de Vereniging voor de Verenigde Naties,volume 31, 2007/3, No. 140, http://www.vvn.be/wereldbeeld/2007/

Contributions to journals, joint publications:

Theme

Natural Resources

Diamond mine Vache laitier near Mbuji-Mayi (photo: IPIS)


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Mi-24 attack helicopter,

El Geneina, Sudan, 2007

(photo: IPIS/AI)

Theme

Arms Trade

Study concerning arms trade in and to Sudan

Description:

IPIS carried out a three month desktop study, using our network of local infor-mants in Sudan. We tracked down a number of arms transfers from, among oth-ers, the Russian Federation and China to the government in Khartoum. Further-more we uncovered, through photographic evidence, violations of the UN arms

embargo by the Sudanese government.

Commissioned by:

Amnesty International, International Secretariat

Output:

Two reports.Sudan: Arms continuing to fuel serious human rights violations in Darfur,

Amnesty International, London, May 2007.. http://www.amnesty.org/en/li-brary/info/AFR54/019/2007Sudan: New photographs show further breach of UN arms embargo on Dar-fur, Amnesty International, London, Aug. 2007.

Impact:

Both case studies produced an explosive effect and received enormous mediaattention worldwide. The revelations of Chinese arms deliveries to Khartoumwere put to value by Amnesty International when the American movie directorSteven Spielberg announced that he was not going to collaborate in the Olym-

pic Games. Among numerous governments the debate about the Chinese in-volvement in the Darfur tragedy was boosted. Also in the Sanctions Committeeof the UN Security Council, the ndings caused some serious discussion.


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Arms Trade

Description:

With its Instrument for Stability, the European Commission wishes to ght theproliferation of rearms and explosives in Africa. To develop concrete activitiesas to that, it asked for expert advice. The objective was to make an analysis ofwhat the African continent needs today to successfully ght the proliferation ofrearms and explosives. Furthermore some project proposals had to be evalu-ated against the backdrop of that analysis. The study ran from December 2007until February 2008 and included four eld visits.

Commissioned by:

Gruppo Soges, an Italian consultancy group, got the assignment from the Euro-pean Commission and put a part of it out to IPIS.

Output:

Unpublished dossier.

Impact:

The use of our policy advice by the European Commission will become clear in2008.

Study concerning policy options of the EuropeanCommission with regard to anti- proliferation of

rearms and explosive materials in Africa

Arms seized from Mayi-Mayi militia members in Katanga (photo credit: local partner)


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Arms Trade

Description:

This desktop study ran over a period of three months. IPIS made an analysis ofexport/import statistics concerning military material. Additionally we worked outsome specic cases on irresponsible arms exports to Venezuela, Guatemala,Guinea, Cte dIvoire, Sudan, Somalia, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Commissioned by:

Amnesty International, International Secretariat

Output:

Report to be published in June 2008.

Impact:

A rst press brieng was picked up by media in more than ten countries. AmongNATO member states discussion arose on excessive small arms supplies. Tofollow up in 2008.

Study concerning arms transfers to Africa,Asia and South America, and on the

desirability of an international treaty on

arms trade

Arms seized from Mayi-Mayi militia members in Ka-

tanga (photo credit: local partner)


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Description:

The context for this short desktopstudy was the political crisis that

broke out by occasion of the elec-tion process. IPIS examined whatmilitary material was importedin 2006-2007 by the Musharrafregime.

Commissioned by:

Amnesty International, Interna-tional Secretariat

Output:

The information has not beenpublished, but was sent to several

sections of Amnesty International,for example those of Switzerland,the UK, the US, Germany andItaly.

Impact:

Many sections of Amnesty Inter-national used the information tolobby their national government.

Description:

This desktop and eld study is still run-ning in 2008 and will take a period ofve months. First of all IPIS examinedthe existence or otherwise of regulatingmechanisms for the air transport of mili-tary material. Through a number of casestudies we checked how this regulation isimplemented in practice.

Commissioned by:

The Italian NGO TransArms Europe.

Output:

Report to be published in the summer of2008.

Impact:

Follow-up in 2008.

Theme

Arms Trade

Study of theinternational

regulation framework

concerning air

transports of military

material

Study into armsimports in

Pakistan

UN blue helmets camp in Pweto (photo: IPIS)


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Arms Trade

Lectures

Lecture Arms export control regulations in the successor states of the

former Yugoslavia.

Event: OSCE seminar, Forum for security co-operation.Organised by: OSCE.Location, date: Vienna, 21/03/2007

Exchange of thoughts concerning the arms embargo on Sudan and theconict in Darfur with the Subcommittee on Security and defence.

Event: hearing Subcommittee on security and defence of the EuropeanParliament.Organised by: European Parliament.Location, date: EP Brussels, 5/06/2007.

Hosting of the conference Improving and developing research method-

ologies for researching illicit trafcking in SALW.

Event: COST Action A25 meeting of Working Groups 1 & 2.Organised by: COST Action A 25.Location, date: IPIS Antwerp, 24/09/2007.

IPIS conference concerning research on arms trafcking (photo: IPIS)


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Arms Trade

Lecture commissioned by the Flemish Peace Institute Mediatoren tussenkleine en grote vrede.

Event: Conference Vrede in Vlaanderen.Organised by: Flemish Peace Institute.Location, date: Flemish Parliament Brussels, 02/10/2007.

Two training packages (a) Arms Trade Statistics how to nd relevant

data on your country and not tell lies, and (b) Arms Transportation and

Logistics the Arms Flyers Project.

Event: AI MSP University.Organised by: Amnesty International International Secretariat.Location, date: Antwerp, 24/11/2007.

Lecture commissioned by the Vlaams Netwerk Lichte Wapens.

Event: hearing on four proposed amendments to the law of 8 June 2006regulating economic and individual activities with arms.Organised by: Justice Commission, Belgian Chamber of Deputies.Location, date: Belgian Chamber of Deputies Brussels, 24/10/2007.

LecturesMSP University Amnesty International (photo: AI)


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Corporate Social Responsibility

Study into human rights obligations of private -nancial institutions

Description:

Under the pressure of NGOs, there is a growing tendency among banks andother nancial institutions to incorporate human rights requirements in their de-cisions about granting a product or offering a service. In Belgium, for instance,

the NGO Netwerk Vlaanderen has opened a debate with banks and the gov-ernment regarding the legal enforceability of human rights requirements. Inother countries as well, a number of successes have been scored in this area.

A joint initiative from within the NGO community was needed, not only becausenancial institutions operate at multinational level, but also to harmonise theinitiatives and positions of NGOs worldwide. Against that background, IPIS car-ried out a ve-month desktop study into the expectations of NGOs towards thebank sector and into the legal obligations of banks in the eld of human rights.To elucidate the latter, IPIS called on numerous academics and jurists.

Commissioned by:

The study was commissioned by BankTrack, a worldwide network of NGOs,from the non-prot association Proyecto Gato, which in turn put it out to IPIS.

Output:

Report Human Rights, Banking Risks, Incorporating Human Rights Obligationsin Bank Policies, publ. February 2007, 31 pp.http://www.ipisresearch.be/corporate-social-responsiblility.php

Impact:

The report was launched by BankTrack at a workshop in Geneva organised byJohn Ruggie,UN Rapporteur on Human Rights and Companies. Later, the reports conclu-sions and recommendations were included in more recent reports, such as thatof the Argentine organisation CEDHA addressed to the OECD Investment Com-mittee working group. The Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs put the themeon the agenda of that OECD working group and invited IPIS, among others, forconsultation.


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Study into environmental and social standards ofEuropean export credit insurance companies

Description:

This desktop study was carried out over a three-month period. IPIS examined

the workings and policy of export credit insurance companies in eleven Euro-pean member states. A ranking of those institutions was made on the basis ofcriteria relating to their environmental, human rights and social policies. Thenal report will contain a list of recommendations aimed at the Belgian exportcredit insurance companies and the government.

Commissioned by:

The working group Companies under the direction of the NGO 11.11.11.

Output:

Report to be published in May 2008.http://www.ipisresearch.be/corporate-social-responsiblility.php

Impact:

By order of 11.11.11, IPIS will present its ndings during a hearing in the BelgianFederal Parliament.

Theme


City view of Kinshasa (photo: IPIS)


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Description:

This desktop study ran over a period of three months. IPIS made an analysis ofthree companies applications for support from the Delcredere Service. We ex-amined if and to what extent the foreign activities planned by these companies

were in accordance with the relevant national legislation. By doing so we gainedinsight in the way the Delcredere Service judges the admissibility of such appli-cations.

Commissioned by:

The working group Companies under the direction of the NGO 11.11.11.

Output:

Report to be published in May 2008.http://www.ipisresearch.be/corporate-social-responsiblility.php

Impact:

By order of 11.11.11, IPIS will present its ndings during a hearing in the BelgianFederal Parliament.

Construction of the Sakhalin II pipeline (photo credit: Sakhalin Environment Watch)


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Compilation of a human rights course forcompanies having commercial relations with

African countries

Description:

This desktop study was carried out over a four-month period. IPIS rst made an

analysis of the human rights obligations of companies under internationaland

African law. On that basis we drew up an instrument that companies can useto integrate human rights into their policies. We also made use of the Danishhuman rights compliance assessment tool. This tool can be further geared tospecic sectors and companies.

Financed by:De Stad Antwerpen

Output:

Workbook to be published.

http://www.ipisresearch.be/corporate-social-responsiblility.php

Impact:

The impact of this tool will show in 2008.

Mining company producing bricks (photo: IPIS)

t Stad

is van

iedereen.


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Lectures

Chairmanship and panel

member of a session at a

conference:

Event: ConferenceRsponsabilisering vanbedrijven in conictre-gios en landen met eenzwakke overheid.Organised by: Universityof Antwerp - Institute ofDevelopment Policy andManagement.Location, date: Vredes-centrum Antwerpen,26/10/2007.

Supervision ofinternships

IPIS supervised Devin Cahill, student at theAntwerp Institute of Development Policy andManagement, in recasting her dissertation as anIPIS dossier. The result was used as a lobbyingdocument for the NGO network Fatal Transac-tions.

Output:

Report Donor Engagement in Fragile States: ACase Study of Donors in the Democratic Repub-lic of Congo and the OECD Principles for GoodInternational Engagement in Fragile States.http://www.ipisresearch.be/various-subjects.php

We also supervised two more interns who as-sisted us with our ongoing research.

Theme


Shopping street in Goma (photo: IPIS)


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Library

In 2007 we carried through a drastic reorganisation of our library. The idea be-hind the reorganisation was to turn the library into a working library that primar-ily serves our core business, that is our research activities. We transferred aconsiderable part of our collection to the Flemish Institute for Peace and Vio-lence Prevention (http://www.vlaamsvredesinstituut.eu), which makes the booksaccessible on the LIBIS online catalogue.

The thematic arrangement of our library is now consistent with the core themesof our research: arms trade/security, exploitation of natural resources and cor-porate social responsibility in Sub-Saharan Africa. Besides, there is a sectionwith general (politics, history, ) and reference books.

To give the interested public the opportunity to consult our collection, the libraryis still open to the public during ofce hours. Visitors need to make an appoint-ment and have the opportunity of being personally supervised by one of ourresearchers. We also introduced a new service: from now on, one can receivecopies of articles/works by post. This service will be at cost price (shipping +copies).

Overview of documents made accessible

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Article 915 817 1314 850 553

Book 482 124 578 139 68

Brochure 117 9 9 0 573

Total 1514 950 1901 989 1194


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Current journals

Adelphi papersAfrica CondentialAfrica Energy IntelligenceAfrica Mining IntelligenceArms control todayAviation weekBillets dAfrique

Defence News Disarmament diplomacyFlight InternationalInternationaal humanitairrecht in de kijker (Zoeklicht)Janes defence weeklyJanes international de-fence review

Jeune Afrique

Keesings historisch archiefLa lettre du continentMilitary technologyNetherlands quarterly on hu-man rightsNew AfricanNJCM bulletin

Strategic survey Terrorism and political vio-lence

The arms control reporterThe bulletin of the atomicscientists

The military balanceVeiligheid en strategieVrede en veiligheid

Library


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IPIS press coverage

23/01/07: Blood Diamonds, op: ARD Tagesthemen27/01/07: De diamant met de rode rand, in: De Tijd13/03/07: Congolese regering moet mijncontracten herbekijken, in: Belga26/03/07: Visite de l'ONG IPIS au Gouverneur Katumbi, op: RTNC TV26/03/07: Visite de l'ONG IPIS au Gouverneur Katumbi, op: TV Mwangaza20/04/07: Bodemrijkdommen geplunderd in Congo, op: Radio 122/04/07: British rm breaks Sudan arms boycott, in: The Sunday Times18/05/07: Antwerps bedrijf levert Oekrainse gevechtshelikopters aan Senegal,

in: De Morgen20/06/07: Schatkamer Congo ontraadseld, in: Het Belang van Limburg21/06/07: IPIS brengt Congolees conict letterlijk in kaart, in: MO*15/07/07: Exposed: the Somalia arms boycott breaker, in: The Sunday Times26/07/07: Wie maakt generaal Nkunda sterker?, in: MO*27/07/07: Belgi draaischijf van geplunderde Congolese ertsen, in: De Morgen27/07/07: VN: Belgi topimporteur tinerts uit Congo, in: De Standaard24/08/07: Illegale wapenleveringen aan Darfur gaan gewoon door,

in: De Morgen

FARDC soldiers eeing Sake during an offensive of general Nkunda in December 2007 (photo: IPIS)


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Finances

IPIS vzw Balance 31/12/2007

Total assets 151.189,47

Permanent assetsCurrent oating assets 9.839,87 141.324,60

Total liabilities 151.189,47

Own fundsDebts

70.919,81

80.269,66

IPIS vzw Prot-and-loss account 2007Turnover 500.614,72

ProjectsProjects for governmentsProgramme subsidiesSubsidies

Other

58.794,74

190.594,62

85.505,46

165.103,82

616,08

Expenses 474.250,22

Housing costs

ActivitiesPersonnel costs

Write-downsOther

20.337,25

122.933,45 323.947,61

6785,38

246,53

Allocated funds 27.837,86

Expenses

2

69%

4%1% 0%

Housing costs

Activities

Personnel costs

Write-downs

Other

Turnover

12%

38%

17%

33%

0%

ProjectsProjects for governmentsProgramme subsidiesSubsidiesOther


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Assignments 2000-2006

2006'Study into the legislation and the

practical approach adopted by nan-

cial institutions concerning the sup-

ply of products and services to arms

exporting companies'.

'Study into human rights obligations

of private nancial institutions'.

For: BankTrack

'Study into arms exports from the

former Yugoslavia'.

'Study into Flemish export and transit

of arms, the Flemish licence policy on

the subject, and the arms legislation

in European countries'.

For: Flemish Peace Institute

'Study into the role of Uganda in the

Congolese civil war'.

For: Amnesty International, IANSA cam-paign.

'Study concerning the visualisationof conict motives on geographical

maps'.

Financed by: Belgian Federal PublicService Foreign Affairs and EuropeanUnion.

'Study into nancial aspects of large

mining projects in Katanga, DRC'.

For: Broederlijk Delen

Interests of Congolese politicians in

the mineral industry in the DRC.

For: Fatal Transactions.

2005

Arms trafcking in the Great Lakes

Region: Tanzania.

For: Belgian Federal Public Service For-eign Affairs

Interests of Congolese politicians inthe mineral industry in the DRC.

For: Fatal Transactions.

Training package for monitoring arms

embargo.

For: MONUC, funded by the Belgian Fed-eral Public Service Foreign Affairs.

Contract research: Arms ows from

the Middle East.

For: Amnesty International.

Contract research: Arms procurementCentral Africa.

For: Amnesty International and Raid.

Civil society activity on disarmament

in Europe and Brazil.

For: publication IPIS.

Contract research: DRC: Arming the

East.


Colombia - Development education.

Financed by: Flemish Ministry of ForeignPolicy.

2004

Colombia: Ecomujer Cartograe de

la Esperenza I/b: Peace building and

preventive diplomacy.

Financed by: Belgian Federal Public Ser-vice Foreign Affairs.

Contract research: Violation of the UN-

weapon embargo against East-Congo.

For: All Party Parliamentary Group on theGreat Lakes Region & Genocide Preven-tion (APPG) House of Commons, UK.

European Arms Exports to Latin Amer-

ica.



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EU Policies towards the ColombianConict.

For: United Nations University Compar-ative Regional Integration Studies.

Containing arms trafcking to the

South: European arms export laws vs.

facts set in a Latin American context.


Arms for Macondo.

For: publication Noord-Zuid Cahier.

Colombia: Ecomujer Cartograe de la

Esperenza I/a: vredesopbouw en pre-

ventieve diplomatie.


Lessen in samenwerkingsontwikkeling-

over het gewapend conict in Sierra

Leone en illegale exploitatie en handel

in bloeddiamanten.

For: AROSA (Adviesraad voor ontwikkel-ingssamenwerking Antwerpen).

2003

UN Panel of Experts on Somalia.

For: United Nations.

Consultancy to the Belgian Senate

Commission Great Lakes.

For: Belgian Senate.

3 case studies on arms trafcking in

Africa.


Contract research : Les enjeuxconomiques du conit en Ituri.

For: UNDP.

Contract research: Congos Privatised

War Economy.

For: NOVIB.

The political economy of resource traf-cking in the Democratic Republic of

Congo.


2002

UN Panel of Experts on Liberia.

Outsourcing of expert.For: United Nations.

Colombia, Belgium and the weapon

industry.For: publication IPIS.

Case study Lebanese arms and dia-

mond traders in West-Africa.

For: publication Global Witness.

Natural Resources.

Financed by: Belgian Federal Public Ser-vice Foreign Affairs

Coltan trade.

For: Kerk in Actie.

2001

UN Panel of Experts on Liberia. Out-

sourcing of expert.


Contract research: FN Herstal: li-

censed production.

For: Small Arms Survey.

Contract research: Diamonds and Con-

icts in Congo.

For: Partnership Africa Canada.

2000

UN Panel of Experts on Sierra Leone:

Diamonds & Arms.

Outsourcing of expert.


Consultancy work: Angola: air trans-

port network & sanctions violations.


Assignments 2000-2006


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IPIS team

IPIS staff as of December 2007:

Director:Didier [email protected]

Administration:

Anne [email protected]

Jeanine Doublet (bibliotheek)[email protected]

Researchers:

Peter [email protected]

Jan [email protected]

Steven Spittaels

[email protected]

Raf [email protected]

Filip [email protected]

Jan Wouters(left IPIS in February 2008)


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Contact

IPIS vzw

Italilei 98a

2000 AntwerpBelgium

Tel.: ++32(0)3/225.00.22

Fax: ++32(0)3/231.01.51

[email protected]

www.ipisresearch.be

Editorial

Editor: Didier VerbruggenLay-out: Anne Hullebroeck

2008/4320/7

Activity Report 2007 IPIS Vzw

Documents

Transcript of Activity Report 2007 IPIS Vzw