Rwanda to Use Blockchain Technology to Track Origin of Natural Minerals

Rwanda has announced the use of blockchain technology to track the origin of natural minerals that are exported from the country. This was revealed during a summit that brought together delegates from the Great Lakes Region, who discussed ways to ensure that the extraction and trade of natural minerals do not lead to conflicts and insecurity in the region.

The natural minerals trade in the countries of the Great Lakes Region is often accused of failing to comply with trade regulations. Those in the sector say that the introduction of this new technique that allows them to identify the source from which the minerals were extracted will help eliminate chaos in this business.

Rwanda is the first country to implement the six articles of the regional initiative against illegal exploitation of natural resources, which are meant to prevent the extraction and trade of natural minerals illegally. The delegates agreed that this solution could also be implemented in other countries.

The Deputy Director of the Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board (RMB), Dr. Ivan Twagirashema, revealed that Rwanda plans to use technological measures to show the origin of extracted natural minerals, which will likely address any confusion about whether Rwanda has mineral resources.