Date: 28 May 2025 | Location: The Representation of Hessen to the EU, Rue Montoyer 21

BETTER FINANCE, in collaboration with the World Gold Council, is hosting an exclusive high-level roundtable discussion, entitled “Silence is Golden,” to be held on 28 May in Brussels. This closed-door event (under the Chatham House Rules) will bring together senior EU officials, top diplomats, CEOs of leading NGOs and trade associations, and representatives of key international institutions to explore the urgent issue of illicit gold mining and its wider implications for non-financial reporting, customer due diligence, ESG standards, and international security.

We are honoured to have Rt Hon Dominic Raab, former UK Deputy Prime Minister, who will present his recent report examining the global landscape of Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM), highlighting its links to criminal networks, child labour, and conflict financing in regions such as Ethiopia, the Sahel, and South America.

The roundtable will also feature senior representatives from EU institutions to discuss how international and EU policy can more effectively support the formalisation of the sector and address its human and environmental impact.

Programme

09:00 – 09:30 | Registration, coffee, and breakfast

9:30 – 9.35 | Welcome Speech

Jochen Presl, Head of Unit for EU Financial Policy and the Financial Centre Frankfurt, Representation of the State of Hessen to the EU

09:35 – 9.50 | Introductory Remarks

BETTER FINANCE Representative

World Gold Council Representative

09:50 – 10.10 | Presentation

Silence is golden: the exploitation of artisanal gold miners to fund war, terrorism, and organised crime – presentation by Dominic Raab

10:10 – 10.30 – Keynote remarks

Luis Enrique Chávez Basagoitia, Ambassador, Embassy of Peru to the EU

Kaushik Genasan, Project Manager, Project OCTAGON, World Customs Organisation

Julien Garsany, Head of UNODC Brussels Office, UN Office on Drugs and Crime

10:30 -11.00 – Roundtable discussion

Interested participants are encouraged to apply for an invitation by completing the form below. Please note that the confirmation email you receive after applying for attendance does not constitute an invitation. After you apply, our team will follow up shortly with a formal invitation.