Traceability in the Gold Sector:SYNATRAMPE and SONAMINES in Sync

The General Manager of SONAMINES S.A. received a delegation from the National Union of Mine Workers and Environmental Protection (SYNATRAMPE) in audience on Thursday, 12th March 2026.

 

Working hand in gloves to improve the traceability of gold marketing operations was the main take home message of this working session, which was an intensive one, given the number of information exchanged. According to this union established in the town of NGOURA, in the East Region, and the role of which is to defend the interests of workers in the mining sector, supporting them in their activities and promoting compliance with current mining regulations, it appears very urgent to collaborate with SONAMINES, so as to restore order in the sector.

The President of SYNATRAMPE, Mr MOHAMADOU NOURROUDDINE, highlighted the significant number of collectors alleged to operate illegally, as are artisanal miners; a situation which demands that institutional support for sector stakeholders be strengthened, with the popularization of the legal and regulatory framework as key priority.

In consideration of all these constraints, the union expressed during these discussions, the need to get institutional support from SONAMINES, in order to better fulfil its role in regulating artisanal mining activities and thus contribute to the fight against illicit gold trafficking. The union’s advocacy sought to be engaging through proposals that could contribute to the fight against illicit gold trafficking, including: strengthening the national gold traceability system by establishing mechanisms to monitor gold production from mining sites through sales and export points; ensuring the operational presence of the relevant institutions in mining areas, through the effective deployment of supervisory and monitoring structures on the field; easing administrative procedures applicable to sector stakeholders; establishing a transparent mechanism for setting gold prices within the country in line with international rates; and, strengthening border control and cooperation measures to combat fraudulent practices. le renforcement national du système de traçabilité de l’or en instituant des mécanismes de suivi de la production aurifère, depuis les sites d’exploitation jusqu’aux points de commercialisation et d’exportation, la présence opérationnelle  des institutions compétentes dans les zones minières notamment à travers le déploiement effectif des structures d’encadrement et de suivi sur le terrain, la simplification des procédures administratives applicables aux acteurs du secteur, la mise en place d’un mécanisme transparent de référence du prix de l’or sur le territoire national en cohérence avec les cours  internationaux et enfin, le renforcement du dispositif de contrôle et de coopération  aux frontières afin de lutter contre les pratiques frauduleuses.

With the same steadfastness and dedication that are known of him, the General Manager reaffirmed his commitment to developing close collaboration with these stakeholders, whom he considers as strategic partners in the implementation of the State’s public policies in the mining sector, particularly with regard to the regulation of artisanal mining activities and the fight against illicit gold marketing networks.

At the end of the discussions, both parties undertook to step up awareness-raising among stakeholders, in order to edify them on their rights and obligations, as well as best practices in the field of artisanal mining, for mining revenues to contribute to the country’s economic development, better that in the past.