02.10.2026: Webinar: Untangling a mess: Germany’s UFK-Guarantee for a copper and gold mining project in a conflict zone

Untied Loan Guarantees (UFK guarantees) are a central pillar of Germany's raw materials strategy, securing long-term access to raw materials for German companies by relieving banks of risk. In at least four of the thirteen guarantees awarded since 2009, environmental risks and/or human rights violations have been publicly documented. This session examines the Reko Diq mining project in Pakistan's conflict-ridden Balochistan province, which received a UFK guarantee in 2025. In a heavily militarised region with severely repressed civic space, the mine risks deepening social tensions, water scarcity and environmental harm. Indigenous Baloch communities oppose it as exploitation of their resources for the benefit of Islamabad. Attacks including abductions and a suicide bombing have worsened the security situation, leading the company to suspend operations. How could such a project slip through UFK checks and balances? And what are Germany's options, up to a responsible exit?