 From other parts of Africa, the Ominera Initiative for Economic Advancement has teamed up with a consortium of international researchers and human rights activists to investigate the possible role of Western mining companies in funding violence in West Africa. The Blood Gold Research Programme will explore and highlight the potential deal-strock between Western mining companies, authoritarian West African governments and Russian mercenaries. Commenting on the Ominera Initiative's participation in the Blood Gold Research Consortium, co-founder and executive director Landry Pitta and Loufusson said the growing presence of the WACNA Group across West Africa is of great concern, contributing to instability and violence in the region. Pitta and Loufusson believe that if Western mining companies are doing deals with authoritarian governments supported by the WACNA Group, then the public deserves to know. He said military coup and anti-democratic violence are sweeping across West Africa with the support of Russian private military contractors like the WACNA Group.