GA backs KP to prevent diamonds from funding conflict
05 Dec '06
3 min read
President Mogae's briefing to the Assembly also included a 2006 progress report on the Kimberly Process, which concluded that it was working well although there were still some problems, particularly in Côte d'Ivoire and South America.
“Some of Côte d'Ivoire's neighbours are not Kimberley Process Participants and, therefore, the Kimberley Process has relatively limited influence over such countries. The Kimberley Process views the problem of leakage diamonds from Côte d'Ivoire into the legitimate trade as one that may require a regional approach to resolve,” the report stated.
“The other area where there are challenges that require a regional approach is in South America, and specifically concerning Brazil, Guyana and Venezuela,” it said, adding that “all countries” in both regions were encouraged to join the Process as recommended by the Security Council.
Speaking to reporters after briefing the Assembly, President Mogae acknowledged there was still work to do with the Kimberley Process but highlighted also its successes.
“Before the Certification Scheme it was reported that conflict diamonds were possibly about 4 per cent of global production. Now with Certification we have admitted in my report that, we are glad to say that they are now less than 1 per cent,” he said.
Begun in 2000 by southern African diamond-producing countries, the Kimberley Process led to the adoption in November 2002 in Interlaken, Switzerland, ofthe international Certification Scheme for rough diamonds, based primarily on national certification schemes and on internationally-agreed minimum standards.
marketing@alchempro.com
