The need for relevant tools in this regard is twofold. On the one hand the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the African Commission) has to formulate appropriate tools for promoting national standards and processes that guarantee compliance with human rights and environmental standards and ensure that the extractive industries meaningfully contribute to the improvement of the living standards of people. On the other hand, the African Commission should also have at its disposal relevant tools and mechanisms for monitoring and addressing abuses of human and peoples’ rights as a result of the extractive industries. The issues that arise from the operations of the extractive industries concern various civil and political as well as socio-economic rights guaranteed under the African Charter. Unlike other international human rights instruments, the African Charter additionally guarantees peoples’ rights. Articles 21 and 24 of the African Charter are the relevant parts of the Charter that specifically concern the extractive industries. Article 21 guarantees the right of all peoples to freely dispose of their wealth and natural resources. Article 24 provides for the right of all peoples to a general satisfactory environment, favourable to their development. These rights of peoples are at the core of the concerns surrounding the protection of rights relating to the operations of the extractive industries in Africa. Over the years, the African Commission has been called upon to deal with cases of abuses and violations of human and peoples’ rights taking place in the context of the extractive industries. Recognizing the gravity of the adverse human and peoples’ rights impacts of the operations of the extractive industries in various parts of the continent and the need for addressing them, in 2009 the African Commission established the Working Group on Extractive Industries, the Environment and Human Rights. Within this framework of having a mechanism focusing on this area and as part of the implementation of the Commission’s responsibilities of reviewing the reports of States under Article 62 of the African Charter, the African Commission has developed the practice of formulating questions on extractive industries and the environment in the context of the reporting obligations of States on Articles 21 and 24 of the African Charter. State Reporting Guidelines and Principles  | v