Namibia to vice chair Kimberley Process

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Namibia to vice chair Kimberley Process

November 21, 2007

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Gaborone, Botswana—The 2007 Kimberley Process Plenary Meeting has elected the South African nation of Namibia to serve as vice chair of the Kimberley Process for 2008.

The appointment puts Namibia, noted recently for its sound reputation as a diamond-producing country, in position to chair the process in 2009.

India will head the Kimberley Process in 2008, taking over for the European Community.

Namibia will also host the Kimberley Process Secretariat in 2009 and coordinate all related international activities. This will include ensuring that countries interested in joining the Kimberley Process meet the requirements and report to the United Nations General Assembly.

Originating in Kimberley, South Africa in 2003, the Kimberley Process is a joint government, diamond industry and civil society initiative that works to stem the flow of "blood diamonds," rough diamonds used by rebel movements to finance wars against legitimate governments.

A general review of the process took place in 2006 and concluded that the process had reduced the number of conflict diamonds on the market.

The European Commission stated in a media release that less than 1 percent of diamonds traded today are conflict diamonds, compared with 15 percent during the 1990s.

Other highlights of the plenary meeting, held in Gaborone, Botswana, in early November, include:

* The re-admission of the Democratic Republic of Congo to the Kimberley Process following the nation's expulsion in July 2004.
* The signing of a joint communique welcoming Liberia's participation in the process in 2007, after earlier sanctions against Liberian diamonds.
* Turkey joining as a new participant in the process in 2007.
* Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Egypt, Mali, Mexico and Tunisia affirming their intention to join the process.
* Bahrain, Cape Verde, Gabon, Swaziland and Zambia expressing interest in joining the process.

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Diamonds

Zimbabwe not suspended from Kimberley Process

Following a meeting this week in Namibia, members of the Kimberley Process--the system designed to stem the flow of conflict diamonds into the trade--opted not to suspend Zimbabwe, The Wall Street Journal reports, despite all the problems in the Marange diamond fields. Read More

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