Tougher enforcement measures had to be agreed on to eradicate conflict diamonds, De Beers said on Wednesday.
Governments needed to be more pro-active in the enforcement of diamond import and export controls, De Beers Group chairperson Nicky Oppenheimer said ahead of next week’s meeting of the United Nations-mandated Kimberley Process in Botswana.
It was also necessary for countries to work together with the diamond industry and NGOs.
”The meeting … is critical to the continued success, effectiveness and credibility of the international agreement to eradicate conflict diamonds,” said Oppenheimer.
Delegates had to be determined to ensure that:
- Participating governments were pro-active in enforcing import and export controls;
- The reports of ”peer review” missions monitoring compliance were produced and swiftly acted on;
- Governments conducted proper oversight of self-regulation within the industry; and
- Statistics on the flow of diamonds between participating countries were made public.
De Beers said Kimberley Process’s 70 member countries, civil society and the diamond industry developed the certification scheme governing trade in over 99% of the world’s rough diamonds.
While it had succeeded in preventing the abuse of diamonds in the funding of conflict, continued illegal trade in rough diamonds outside the Kimberley provisions had to be stopped.
”Even one diamond that fuels conflict is one diamond too many,” De Beers said in a statement.
The process had to not only be effective, but be seen to be effective so consumers could be sure the diamonds they bought were free of the taint of conflict, it said.
De Beers has called on every diamond trader worldwide to:
- Establish absolutely the provenance of the diamonds they purchased;
- Refuse to buy diamonds without the warranties required by the Kimberley Process;
- Question and double-check the validity of vendors’ guarantees; and
- Report any suspected breaches of the Kimberley provisions.
”Dealing in conflict diamonds is a criminal offence in every one of the participating countries and the diamond industry must assist governments to identify, detain and prosecute any person involved in this odious trade.”
De Beers said that of the world’s diamonds, 65% were from Africa — mainly Botswana, South Africa, Namibia and Tanzania — and were a key component of anti-poverty campaigns, providing $8-billion revenue a year. — Sapa