Gold accounted for about half of all Uganda’s exports in July – and its biggest market is the UAE/AFP
A human rights group has accused Uganda of channeling gold mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo that funds conflict, but the authorities insist that refiners are not processing metal from illicit sources.
Ugandan gold exports have more than doubled in one year, fuelling the concerns. Its biggest market is the United Arab Emirates, having overtaken countries of the East African Community.
The campaign group Impact, which is based in Canada, says the authorities in Rwanda and Uganda need to clamp down on smuggling of Congolese gold across their borders.
It claims just a small fraction of the 15 to 22 tonnes mined in DR Congo every year is officially recorded and exported.
-BBC
