Abbi Buxton

Associate (law, economies and justice programme), Natural Resources

Abbi Buxton’s expertise is in the large-scale and artisanal and small-scale mining sectors. Her action research and engagement work focuses on increasing local voice and understanding of realities and priorities in global value chains, large-scale land based investments and international policy spaces.

Abbi has in-depth knowledge and understanding of sustainable development challenges and processes in the mining sector – primarily in Africa. Her current work includes the looking at the roles and responsibilities of artisanal miners in global value chains, strengthening local voice in policy engagement and influence, re-examining models of mineral governance and market development (including formalisation), exploring competing land uses, and understanding gender relations and roles.

She has extensive experience managing cross-country teams, working with in-country partners, overseeing implementation of in-country dialogues and research, managing stakeholder relations, global network development, and informing national and global processes based on local evidence and research.

Expertise

Informal actors in formal markets; artisanal and small-scale mining; consultation and participation in large-scale mining; mineral governance; mineral and metal value chains.

Before IIED

Research analyst for OTF Group in Rwanda. Included work on the development of the Business Process Outsourcing cluster and research into targeted investment opportunities for the Horticulture cluster in Rwanda.
Business analyst for an international law firm. Researched and analysed client business strategies, organisational structures and industries for business development.

Education

MSc in development management, London School of Economics
LLB, University of Nottingham

Current work

Strengthening local voice and examining political economy in the artisanal cobalt mining sector in the Democratic Republic of Congo; re-examining relations between artisanal and large-scale mining; improving environmental and social safeguards in large-scale mining, including approaches to community engagement and rights protections.