In May 2000, Southern African diamond producing states met in Kimberley, South Africa, to come up with a way to stop the trade in disagreement diamonds and to ensure consumers that the diamonds that they purchase have not contribute to violent difference and human rights abuses in their countries of source.
In December 2000, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution supporting the creation of an international certification scheme for rough diamonds. In November 2002, after near two years of compromise, the efforts of governments, the international diamond industry and NGOs [Non-Government Organizations] culminate in the creation of the Kimberley Process Certification Plan (KPCS). The KPCS outlines the supplies by which the trade in rough diamonds is to be regulated by countries, regional economic integration organizations and rough diamond-trading entity.
The KPCS imposes strict requirements on all Participant to guard against conflict diamonds incoming the lawful trade. Participants are required to implement interior controls, as outline in the KPCS document, and all shipments of rough diamonds must be accompanied by a Kimberley Process certificate. The requirements for participation are outlined in Sections II, V (a) and VI (8,9) of the KPCS. Participants can only trade with other Participants who have met the minimum requirements of the certification system.
While each Participant is required to implement the Kimberley Process in their individual territory, sharing information and insight is an essential part of creation the certification scheme work. Annual Plenary meetings are held to give Participants the opportunity to converse with one another and with industry and civil society members to improve the success of the regulatory regime.
Participants, industry and civil society council work together in Working Groups - Monitoring, Statistics, Diamond Experts - and Committees - Participation Committee and Selection Committee - to ensure that the integrity of the certification scheme is upheld and that the Kimberley Process moves closer to stop the trade in conflict diamonds.
Today the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme has evolved into an effective mechanism for stopping the trade in conflict diamonds. The tireless efforts of governments, industry leaders and civil civilization representatives have help ensure that the horrors caused by conflict diamonds may one day come to an end. But there leftovers much to be done. All involved with the Kimberley Process continue to monitor and assess the effectiveness of the certification scheme and strive towards a world free of conflict diamonds.
The Kimberley Process is a joint government, international diamond industry and civil society plan to stem the flow of conflict diamonds - rough diamonds that are used by rebel actions to finance wars against lawful governments. The trade in these illicit stones has contributed to devastating conflicts in countries such as Angola, Cote d'Ivoire, the Self-governing Republic of Congo and Sierra Leone. The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme is an innovative, voluntary system that imposes wide requirements on Participants to certify that shipments of rough diamonds are free from conflict diamonds. The Kimberley Process is composed of 45 Participants, including the European Community. Kimberley Process Participants account for about 99.8% of the global manufacture of rough diamonds.
