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WDC Campaigns for Strengthened Kimberley Process
Nov 17, 2014 4:47 AM
By World Diamond Council
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Press Release: The strengthening of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme stood atop the agenda of the delegation of the World Diamond Council (WDC), which joined representatives of governments from more than 50 countries and civil society NGOs at the four-day Kimberley Process plenary meeting, which concluded in Guangzhou, China, on November 14.
WDC's president, Edward Asscher, headed the delegation of 12 diamond and jewelry industry representatives from around the world attending the plenary meeting.
Highlighted at the meeting was the administration support mechanism (ASM), which is managed and financed on behalf of the Kimberley Process by WDC member organizations. Launched in 2013, and renewed for a second year of operation at the Kimberley Process intercessional meeting in Beijing earlier this year, the ASM provides valuable assistance to the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme. Following a proposal by the WDC, it will from now on provide educational and training tools for all participants.
A critical component of the plenary were the meetings of the official working groups, which were attended by WDC delegates in Guangzhou, including the working groups on monitoring, diamond experts. statistics, artisanal and alluvial production in addition to the committees on participation and chairmanship, and rules and procedures.
At the initiative of the WDC, the plenary welcomed a proposal by several working groups to consider relevant recommendations from a Financial Action Task Force Report that relate to risks associated with the supply of rough diamonds. It was agreed that the working group on monitoring and the working group of diamond experts would assess those recommendations in the context of their ongoing efforts to improve the scheme and its implementation.
The WDC supported the reaffirmation of the working group on monitoring of its commitment to continue the dialog on the definition of conflict diamonds, in accordance with the decision taken at the Kimberley Process plenary meeting in Johannesburg in November 2013.
The WDC applauded a decision by the working group of diamond experts, which at the initiative of the WDC created a sub-committee that will address valuations of rough diamonds throughout the supply chain. Also discussed was a survey of how member countries handle confiscated rough diamonds; the Kimberley Process "roadmap" for the Central African Republic, which is designed to enable that country to become compliant; and the creation of a digital photo database, among other items.
Although the required consensus was not achieved in Guangzhou on which of the two candidate countries, Australia or the United Arab Emirates, would become vice chair of the Kimberley Process in 2015, the WDC pledged openly to support any consensus decision that is made in this respect and offered its support to the incoming chair, Angola.
"On behalf of the WDC and the entire industry, I'd like to congratulate H.E. Wei Chuangzhong and the People's Republic of China on this year's successful chairing of the Kimberley Process," said Asscher. "We look forward to continuing to strengthen the mission of the Kimberley Process under the strong leadership of Angola in 2015."
The WDC also stressed the importance of reinforcing the three pillars that support the Kimberley Process, namely government, civil society and the diamond and jewelry industry.
About the World Diamond Council
The primary objective of the WDC is to represent the diamond industry in the development and implementation of the regulatory and voluntary systems to control the trade in diamonds embargoed by the United Nations or covered by the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme. Visit www.worlddiamondcouncil.org to learn more.
Rapaport News is not responsible for, and does not endorse, the content of any third-party press release. This is not a Rapaport Press Release. It has been provided as additional information for our clients.
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Tags:
asscher, Kimberley Process, KP, KPCS, World Diamond Council
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