The Kimberley Process is a joint governmental, industry and civil society initiative to stem the flow of conflict diamonds, but the organisation has recently come under fire for being ineffective and too lenient when dealing with non-compliant countries. World Diamond Council chairman and chief executive Eli Izhakoff answers some questions on the Kimberley Process.
What changes do you think need to be made to the Kimberley Process?
EI: “In the Kimberley Process, every resolution must be reached by consensus. When you are dealing with more than 70 countries this is nearly impossible. When the consensus is finally reached, the result is often a watered down version of the original proposal attained only after many delays. I would suggest considering the possibility of shifting from a consensus to two-thirds majority of the membership.”
In recent months the Kimberley Process’s handling the problematic situation in Zimbabwe has been severely criticised and there have been calls to suspend Zimbabwe permanently from the Kimberley Process rather than for just six months. Where does the World Diamond Council stand on this?
EI: “The World Diamond Council is fully engaged in working to address Kimberlery Process compliance matters pertaining to Zimbabwe. The circumstances in Zimbabwe are unique and require special consideration by the Kimberley Process. For one thing, the compliance issues there pertain to diamonds that are being smuggled out from only one producing region, out of a total of three, by illicit traders. In addition, these diamonds do not strictly fit the definition of conflict diamonds.”
What is the World Diamond Council doing to combat the threat to the integrity of the Kimberley Process that has arisen as result of Zimbabwe?
EI: “The World Diamond Council has called upon participant governments to fully enforce laws already in place that ban smuggling. It has additionally called upon international institutions that engage in investigations of humanitarian rights violations to address allegations of violence by the government of Zimbabwe against persons operating in the one diamond producing area that is owned by the state. Furthermore, the World Diamond Council is participating in a Kimberley Process review of allegations of non-compliance with Kimberley Process minimum standards by Zimbabwe, and will join with the relevant bodies to recommend steps for Zimbabwe to come back into compliance.”
How is the Kimberley Process dealing with ongoing diamond smuggling in countries like Brazil, the Ivory Coast, Venezuela and Guinea?
EI: “The Kimberley Process’s capacity to address issues of smuggling is only a supplement to criminal laws already in place worldwide that forbid illicit trade. The World Diamond Council continues to call upon governments to enforce these laws that make these activities criminal. Enforcement has to be stepped up, made more robust and given a higher priority worldwide. The World Diamond Council continues to work with Kimberley Process bodies addressing non-compliance in countries such as Venezuela, Lebanon, Guinea and others and engaging with them to bring them back into full compliance.”
What about claims that the Kimberley Process is dragging its feet when dealing with certain violators?
EI: “While the World Diamond Council, along with the international community, hopes that deterrent actions can be swift, there are procedural requirements built in to the Kimberley Process system to ensure fairness and due process. These procedural steps should be followed, but the WDC is working to ensure that they are fulfilled in the shortest possible time frame.”
The Kimberley Process does not have a mandate to bar diamond exports due to human rights violations and child labour. Conflict diamonds are defined as the source of income used to fund terror activity and civil war. Do you think that the Kimberley Process should revise these criteria and include human rights infringements as grounds for suspension?
EI: “This issue is on the agenda for the plenary session to be held in November in Namibia. The Kimberley Process intends to seek to ensure that infringements of human rights violations in diamond producing areas do not occur. Of course, such activity is already addressed by a number of UN conventions and by criminal laws within the countries where such acts take place.”
Next year Israel is to chair the Kimberley Process - what are the most important issues that Israel should facilitate?
EI: “Increased government oversight for traders of rough diamonds to ensure that regulations already in place are enforced is a high priority. Continued technical assistance to countries struggling with compliance must also be addressed. This would include bringing into the Kimberley Process family certain countries that are well-known centres for illicit diamond trade in regions throughout the world.
Source: The Israeli Diamond Portal
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