diamonds and Kimberley process certificates

Torsten — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 03:51:00 GMT

Diamonds are traded internationally. They are extracted and processed by multinationals, who release them at substantial prices to global markets. There however also small miners who supply uncut diamonds on a small business basis. They are often active in conflict regions.

In the orginators on terms the Kimberley process is a measure against trade in 'blood diamonds'

What is the Kimberley Process?

The Kimberley Process (KP) is a joint governments, industry and civil society initiative to stem the flow of conflict diamonds – rough diamonds used by rebel movements to finance wars against legitimate governments. The trade in these illicit stones has fuelled decades of devastating conflicts in countries such as Angola, Cote d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sierra Leone.

The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) imposes extensive requirements on its members to enable them to certify shipments of rough diamonds as ‘conflict-free’. As of September 2007, the KP has 48 members, representing 74 countries, with the European Community and its Member States counting as an individual participant.

http://www.kimberleyprocess.com/

But does this process really protect people from conflicts or does it keep out the small producers from international markets, since they can not cope with the bureaucratic red tape?

Torsten : uncut diamonds

diamonds and Kimberley process certificates

What is the Kimberley Process?