Cornell University Examines Congo Minerals Trade

On Tuesday, February 15 Cornell University hosted an event on conflict minerals in Congo and invited me to speak about our connection to the issues and the role that a consumer campaign can play in reducing mass atrocities in the country and the region. The event was organized by Cornell Conflict-Free and the Cornell Africana Department. Cornell is on the verge of becoming the third university in the nation to pass a resolution aimed at making their campus conflict-free, after Stanford University and Westminster College. The resolution would solidify a signed agreement from the university’s administration to begin to factor whether electronics are certifiably conflict-free into their future purchasing decisions. Currently, the President of Cornell, David Skorton, is planning on making a decision on the resolution at the end of this spring semester.

Students at Cornell are also asking the university to only invest in businesses that are conflict-free, once that information is available. The following is the statement released by the student senate during the fall semester of 2010:

“With regard to its investment practices, Cornell should consider following the Stanford University Investment Committee, which in April approved a measure to invest only in businesses that are conflict mineral-free, as reported to the Securities and Exchange Commission. It is time for Cornell to join Stanford with respect to investment in conflict-free companies and urge other colleges and universities to do the same.  As a collective unit, the United States higher education community holds significant economic influence that can feasibly impact the supply decisions of technology companies.”

• Eastern Congo
• Conflict-Free Campus Initiative
• Raise Hope for Congo
• Conflict Minerals
• Events