The 81 countries taking part in the Kimberley Process have called on the US to follow the EU’s lead and lift sanctions on Zimbabwean mines.
Cameroon aims to begin production at its first industrial diamond mine by the end of January as part of plans to develop the long-neglected sector.
The funeral of a gem dealer has revealed the illicit trade of diamonds in Zimbabwe has gone underground and may be propping up Zanu-PF cronies.
The Rapaport Group of diamond traders says it would boycott diamonds from Marange field, which has been widely associated with human rights abuses.
Conflict diamonds are to be used to fund a new campaign of violence by President Robert Mugabe’s regime against his political opponents in Zimbabwe.
Global Witness has left the Kimberley Process after a series of disagreements, including the resumption of sales of Zimbabwe’s Marange diamonds.
Kimberley Process-approved diamonds from Chinese-Zimbabwean venture Anjin will be put on sale on Friday, despite criticism from Human Rights Watch.
Due to the Kimberley Process unbanning sales of Zimbabwe’s Marange diamonds, the country is expecting a $600-million boost in revenue.
Zimbabwe’s mining minister vowed that the country "will no longer be begging" after the Kimberley Process approved sales of its Marange diamonds.
Zimbabwe has vowed to defy moves for international monitoring of diamond sales from its disputed Marange fields.
Mozambique will join an international conflict diamond monitoring scheme amid widespread gem smuggling from Zimbabwe’s controversial Marange mines.
SA and SADC cannot ignore the tight link between Zanu-PF’s behaviour and its control of Marange
The global diamond industry has controversially cleared the way for President Robert Mugabe’s regime to raise millions of dollars from exports.
African producers have criticised the Kimberley Process for reinstating a ban on Zimbabwe’s Marange’s gems where abuses were reported.
Zimbabwe held a secret auction of diamonds from its Marange fields, where the army has been accused of forced labour and torture.
Gemstone finds in the country’s wild east have brought spies and paranoia and turned Mutare into frontier town.
It was in June 2006 that diamonds were first discovered by villagers in Marange, a rural area of Chiadzwa, 90km south-west of Mutare.
Four years ago thousands of Zimbabweans descended on the Marange fields in the grip of diamond fever.
A new agreement allowing Zimbabwe to sell its controversial diamonds is drawing words of caution from rights groups.
A judge has freed on bail an activist jailed for more than five weeks on allegations of passing false information on diamond-mining violations.
