Rwanda’s gold refinery under fire as sanctions threaten key export

A jeweller displays gold bars in a shop in Dubai, UAE. 

Photo credit: File | AFP

Rwanda’s promising gold export industry has been dealt a serious blow after the European Union (EU) imposed sanctions on the Gasabo Gold Refinery, one of the country’s main refining facilities.

The move, which also targeted Francis Kamanzi, CEO of the Rwanda Mines, Petroleum, and Gas Board, signals a tougher EU stance on Rwanda’s alleged role in the illicit minerals trade.