Brief

The History of the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF)

How did the IGF emerge as the global forum for more than 80 member countries advancing good mining governance for sustainable development?

July 10, 2023

This document outlines the history of the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF). It begins by detailing its origins as a United Nations Type II partnership, spearheaded by Canada and South Africa, before covering key milestones such as the ratification of the IGF's Mining Policy Framework in 2010 and the International Institute for Sustainable Development becoming the Secretariat's host in 2015. Today, the IGF counts more than 80 countries as members and serves as the leading intergovernmental policy forum on mining and sustainable development.