Ebola and alluvial diamond mining in West Africa: initial reflections and priority areas for research

There is now a burgeoning body of literature which examines the impacts of Ebola in Guinea Conakry, Liberia and Sierra Leone. This analysis, however, has focused predominantly on health issues, emergency preparedness and the international response in all three countries. At the same time, it has grossly overlooked the social and economic impacts of the epidemic. Central to this discussion is the state of alluvial diamond mining, a centrepiece of the rural economies of all three countries. This paper draws attention to this much-neglected area in the policy dialogue on Ebola in West Africa, and identifies priority areas for research moving forward.