On March 29, 2026, Maître Mireille KOA, Founder and Managing Director of Nova Justice Corporation, delivered a plea at the Mémorial de Caen as a finalist in the Lawyers’ Pleading Competition.
Entitled “The Cries of Victims in Haut-Katanga and Lualaba”, the plea examined the human rights implications of cobalt extraction in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a jurisdiction that remains central to global supply chains supporting the energy transition.
The intervention articulated a legal analysis grounded in established international frameworks, including the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Mineral Supply Chains, and emerging mandatory human rights due diligence regimes. Particular attention was given to corporate responsibility to respect human rights, the identification and mitigation of adverse impacts, and the persistent challenges related to access to effective remedies for affected communities.
The plea further addressed structural risks associated with artisanal and industrial mining in Haut-Katanga and Lualaba, including child labour, hazardous working conditions, environmental degradation, and governance gaps. It emphasized the need for strengthened compliance mechanisms, enhanced traceability within supply chains, and greater alignment between economic activities and international human rights standards.
Through this intervention, Maître KOA Mireille contributed to ongoing legal and policy discussions on corporate accountability, highlighting the role of legal practitioners in bridging normative frameworks and field realities.
This participation reflects Nova Justice Corporation’s commitment to advancing rigorous legal analysis and promoting responsible business conduct in complex and high-risk environments.