West Africa’s complex artisanal gold mining industry faces major challenges. The pervasive informality of mining makes the sector vulnerable to criminal exploitation and limits its development potential.

Efforts to combat artisanal gold mining in West Africa have tended to follow a punitive approach of criminalisation and ‘crackdowns’. This seminar draws on extensive regional consultations to inform a discussion of alternative responses that can help countries harness the full potential of their gold mining sectors.