Justice for Myanmar has requested a UN investigation into Special Envoy Julie Bishop’s potential conflicts of interest due to her links with Chinese state-owned companies through Energy Transition Minerals, a firm engaged in a contentious mining project. Concerns have been raised that her involvement may undermine her role in facilitating a resolution to the crisis in Myanmar, as revenues from Myanmar’s rare minerals largely support the military regime.
Justice for Myanmar (JFM) has urged the United Nations to conduct an investigation regarding potential conflicts of interest related to Julie Bishop, the UN Special Envoy to Myanmar, based on her possible connections with Chinese state-owned companies. Julie Bishop previously served as the Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2013 to 2018 and was appointed as Special Envoy in April 2024. Additionally, she leads the global consultancy firm, Julie Bishop and Partners.
Bishop’s involvement with Energy Transition Minerals (ETM) surfaced in The Saturday Paper, an Australian news outlet. ETM has ties to the partially state-owned Chinese firm, Shenghe Resources, which holds a 9 percent stake, along with China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), also state-owned. ETM is engaged in a contentious mining venture in Kvanefjeld, Greenland, particularly focused on uranium and rare earth minerals.
ETM, alongside Shenghe Resources, has signed a memorandum to import uranium from this project into China, despite a ban on uranium mining imposed by the Greenlandic government in 2021 due to environmental and health objections from local residents. Following this, ETM is currently entangled in legal disputes with the government. Bishop commenced her advisory role with ETM earlier this year to advance the Kvanefjeld Project while navigating the ongoing legal battles.
Activists, led by JFM, have raised alarms about how Bishop’s role with ETM might conflict with her responsibilities as the UN Special Envoy. This concern is amplified by Myanmar being China’s largest source of rare minerals, with Shenghe Resources being a significant processor. The revenues from this sector largely support the Myanmar military, hindering democratic movements. Consequently, Bishop’s potential affiliations may undermine her stated commitment to fostering a resolution to Myanmar’s ongoing crisis, which relies on integrity and trust.
In summary, Justice for Myanmar has called upon the United Nations to probe potential conflicts of interest associated with Special Envoy Julie Bishop due to her ties to Energy Transition Minerals, a company involved in mining activities in Greenland related to Chinese state-owned firms. Given Myanmar’s critical role in supplying rare minerals to China, there are concerns that such affiliations could compromise her effectiveness and integrity in her position, which seeks to address the crisis in Myanmar.
Original Source: www.jurist.org
