For the poorest countries, natural resources are both a curse and a blessing. Their extraction is often associated with corruption, environmental destruction and human rights violations. In order to fight such abuses, SWISSAID advocates a fairer distribution of income, sustainable extraction and transparency in the commodities trade, particularly in the gold trading sector.

In countries with rich mineral resources, companies are making a lot of money. The local population, on the other hand, does not benefit from this, but instead suffers from environmental pollution and human rights violations. This inequality is a major factor in poverty.

SWISSAID develops projects to protect workers and thus contributes to improving the situation in the countries of operation. We are also working at national level to improve the applicable standards and reduce the lack of transparency in the sector.

Due to its leading position in the international commodities trade, Switzerland has a special responsibility. This is why SWISSAID is also active in Switzerland: by publishing studies and participating in various networks that call for better regulation of commodity trading in our country.