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.

Publications