The Kimberley Process

The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme was established in 2002 to

combat the trade in rough diamonds to finance armed conflicts, primarily in
Africa. With 75 participating countries the Kimberley Process covers an
estimated 99.8% of the global production of rough diamonds.

The UK Government Diamond Office and the UK Border Agency and

Customs are responsible for preventing illicit diamonds entering or leaving the
UK. In 2010 authorities seized a number of shipments of rough diamonds
deemed non-compliant with the Kimberley Process. The Government
Diamond Office also works with the UK’s rough diamond industry to provide
expert advice and oversight of industry compliance with Kimberley Process
minimum standards.

Experts estimate that since the Kimberley Process was established “conflict
diamonds” have reduced from 15% to less than 1% of the global trade in
rough diamonds. But significant challenges remain, particularly in certain
West African countries and Zimbabwe.

In Zimbabwe, there were continued allegations of violence by Zimbabwean

security forces at diamond mining sites in the Marange region in 2010. The
UK has played an active role within the EU where we have consistently
argued for a robust EU response to Zimbabwe’s failure to comply with
Kimberley Process minimum standards. We continued our ongoing dialogue
with NGOs and the rough diamond industry to encourage Zimbabwe to
demonstrate concrete progress towards full Kimberley Process compliance
and to end the violence in the Marange diamond fields. Through the EU we
funded an independent Kimberley Process monitor to assess Zimbabwean
progress towards compliance. At an extraordinary meeting in St Petersburg
in July, we played a key role in helping the Kimberley Process negotiate an
agreement with Zimbabwe that imposed continued restrictions on exports, set
out clear benchmarks for progress and allowed for the setting up of a local
civil society monitor. A Kimberley Process expert review mission to
Zimbabwe in August reported that progress had been made but that much
remained to be done. Exports of diamonds from Zimbabwe’s Marange
diamond fields cannot take place until a resolution of Kimberley Process
negotiations with Zimbabwe. We will continue to seek a robust solution to the
impasse that encourages Zimbabwe to progress the Joint Work Plan agreed
at the 2009 Plenary.